On the surface, the Congress of the People appeared to be a political party unlike any other that had emerged in the opposition domain in South Africa since 1994. In its origins it was significant. In its potential catalyst role, it seemed to have the potential to ring in a new era in opposition politics, writes a South African political scientist in the first of a range of articles in a pre-election analysis published by the Electoral Institute for Southern Africa. EISA strives for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, participatory democracy, human rights culture, and the strengthening of governance institutions for the consolidation of democracy in Africa.