SOUTH AFRICA:The leader of South Africa's "official opposition", Tony Leon, has said he will resign in an effort to boost his party's fortunes and stop the country drifting towards a one-party state.
Mr Leon, who has headed up the Democratic Alliance (DA) in its different guises since 1994, promised to step down next year to give the party time to prepare for the 2009 general election under new leadership.
The combative and at times controversial politician had come under mounting criticism from within the party for failing to broaden its appeal beyond its traditionally white support base.
Although party membership grew by two million under his leadership and election performances improved, he was widely perceived to concentrate disproportionately on the interests of the former ruling class - becoming an impassioned spokesman against certain state-backed affirmative action policies, and rising crime rates in particular.
His vociferous campaigning against corruption in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) led to frequent clashes in parliament with the president, Thabo Mbeki, a man who Mr Leon accused of having a "deep antipathy to democracy".
Cape Town mayor Helen Zille has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Mr Leon as leader.
Despite her reputation as a belligerent debater, "Godzille" is seen within the party as having a broader appeal. Recently she drew praise from across the racial divide for her handling of a local power struggle with the ANC.
Other contenders for the leadership post are DA chief whip Douglas Gibson and party chairman Joe Seremane.
The latter, a former political prisoner alongside Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, would do much to transform the DA's "white face" in the public eye. However some analysts believe deeper reform within the party is necessary if it is to challenge the ANC's stranglehold.
"People say if the DA had a black leader it would attract black support; I don't think that is true for a moment," said Stephen Friedman, research associate at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa.
"The DA is seen by people as a party that speaks for a segment of South African society and that segment is not the majority."