Voters in Eswatini, Africa's last absolute monarchy, have begun casting their ballots in Legislative Elections. The 500,000 registered voters will select 59 members of the lower house of parliament, although any political change is unlikely in a country where the monarch holds absolute power and political parties are banned. The elections come after pro-democracy protests in 2021 that were violently suppressed, resulting in the deaths of at least 46 people. The opposition believes the election results are predetermined, with candidates nominated by traditional chiefs loyal to the king. Eswatini faces high levels of poverty and unemployment, particularly among the youth.

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