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MAURITIUS: Parliamentary Poll

MAURITIUS: Parliamentary Poll The opposition wins a landslide in this significant election. Mauritians went to the polls on December 10th in the 21 rural districts of the Island to elect a new government for the next five years. The electorate of 936,975 chose among 726 candidates vying for 62 seats in the chamber of deputies (60 to Mauritius and 2 to Rodrigues ). Outgoing Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam , and former President and Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth , were the major candidates running for the top political post. Many other small political parties and independent candidates also ran. (PANA, Port Louis 10/12) AFP noted that the issue of constitutional reform made the polls some of the most important since the Indian Ocean nation gained independence from Britain in 1968. Two rival coalitions competed for the parliamentary seats: on the one side, the centre‐left group of the Labour Party ( PTR ) of Prime Minister Ramgoolam and the former opposition Mouvement Militant Mauricien ( MMM ) party. Ramgoolam was expected to want to run for president, currently a largely ceremonial position elected by parliament. The PTR‐MMM coalition had agreed if they won the election to try to amend the constitution so the president would be directly elected. On the other side is the Alliance Lepep , a centre‐right coalition led by Anerood Jugnauth and three other political parties. But Lepep fiercely opposed the constitutional reform proposed by the government alliance. MMM leader Paul Berenger insisted the plans to boost the president's role would create a “more democratic system” by stripping some power away from the prime minister. But Lepep leader Xavier Duval feared that reforms would create “a little king of the country” who “will benefit from both civil and criminal immunity, and will do what they want for seven years.” Both sides campaigned on strengthening the economy. Mauritius is one of the richest countries in Africa, a middle‐income country of some 1.3m people, with a per capita GDP of just over $9,000. The PTR‐MMM alliance promised to boost “economic infrastructure needed to lift Mauritius from middle‐income status” to higher income, and to “improve the living standards of all citizens”. Alliance Lepep said they wanted Mauritius to achieve a growth rate of over six percent. (© AFP 10/12 2014) When the results were announced on December 12th, it was clear that the opposition Alliance Lepep had won a landslide, taking nearly three quarters of the seats: 47 out of 62. The PTR‐MMM took just 13 seats. The remaining two seats went to small local parties on Rodrigues. Sir Anerood Jugnauth was declared Prime Minister on December 13th. He previously held the post from 1982–1995 and again between 2000–2003. The outgoing prime minister Ramgoolam accepted defeat late on December 12th even as votes were still being counted. The defeat was so crushing that he even lost his own seat that he had held for 23 years. (© AFP 12/12 2014) The MMM leader, Paul Bérenger, whose party obtained nine seats, was designated leader of the Opposition. (PANA, Port Louis 13/12) The elections were closely monitored by around 100 foreign observers and several international organisations such as the Francophonie, Southern Africa Development Community ( SADC ) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ). While COMESA called for certain improvements to the election process, SADC declared the elections ‘‘free, fair, credible, transparent, calm and democratic.” (PANA, Port Louis 13/12) The new cabinet was announced on December 13th, and is now as follows: Prime Minister , Home Minister and Minister of Rodrigues: Sir Anerood Jugnauth Ministers Tourism: Xavier‐Luc Duval Housing and Land: Showkutally Soodhun Energy and Public Utilities: Ivan Collendavellloo Finance and Economic Development: Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo Technology, Communication and Innovation: Pravind Jugnauth Youth and Sports: Yogida Sawminaden Infrastructure and Transport: Nando Bodha Education, Tertiary Education and Human Resources: Leela Devi Dookun Health and Quality of Life: Anil Gayan Local Government: Anwar Husnoo Social Integrity: Pradeep Roopun Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade: Etienne Sinaatambou Attorney General: Ravi Yerrigadoo Agro‐industry: Mahen Seeruttun Arts and Culture: Dan Baboo Industry and Commerce: Ashit Gungah Gender Equality and Child Development: Aurore Perraud Financial Services and Good Governance: Roshi Bhadain Commerce, Enterprises and Cooperatives: Sunil Bholah Security, Social and National Solidarity: Fazila Daureeawoo Ocean Economy, Fishing and Outer Islands: Prem Koonjoo Environment, National Urgency: Raj Dayal Civil Service: Alain Wong Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training.: Soodesh Callichurn (PANA, Port Louis 16/12) Maya Hanoomanjee , 62, was on December 22nd elected Speaker of the Parliament, the first woman to occupy the post. Adrien Duval was elected Deputy Speaker. (PANA, Port Louis 22/12) Elections in December p. 20354C http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series Wiley

MAURITIUS: Parliamentary Poll

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ISSN
0001-9844
eISSN
1467-825X
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-825X.2015.06044.x
Publisher site
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Abstract

The opposition wins a landslide in this significant election. Mauritians went to the polls on December 10th in the 21 rural districts of the Island to elect a new government for the next five years. The electorate of 936,975 chose among 726 candidates vying for 62 seats in the chamber of deputies (60 to Mauritius and 2 to Rodrigues ). Outgoing Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam , and former President and Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth , were the major candidates running for the top political post. Many other small political parties and independent candidates also ran. (PANA, Port Louis 10/12) AFP noted that the issue of constitutional reform made the polls some of the most important since the Indian Ocean nation gained independence from Britain in 1968. Two rival coalitions competed for the parliamentary seats: on the one side, the centre‐left group of the Labour Party ( PTR ) of Prime Minister Ramgoolam and the former opposition Mouvement Militant Mauricien ( MMM ) party. Ramgoolam was expected to want to run for president, currently a largely ceremonial position elected by parliament. The PTR‐MMM coalition had agreed if they won the election to try to amend the constitution so the president would be directly elected. On the other side is the Alliance Lepep , a centre‐right coalition led by Anerood Jugnauth and three other political parties. But Lepep fiercely opposed the constitutional reform proposed by the government alliance. MMM leader Paul Berenger insisted the plans to boost the president's role would create a “more democratic system” by stripping some power away from the prime minister. But Lepep leader Xavier Duval feared that reforms would create “a little king of the country” who “will benefit from both civil and criminal immunity, and will do what they want for seven years.” Both sides campaigned on strengthening the economy. Mauritius is one of the richest countries in Africa, a middle‐income country of some 1.3m people, with a per capita GDP of just over $9,000. The PTR‐MMM alliance promised to boost “economic infrastructure needed to lift Mauritius from middle‐income status” to higher income, and to “improve the living standards of all citizens”. Alliance Lepep said they wanted Mauritius to achieve a growth rate of over six percent. (© AFP 10/12 2014) When the results were announced on December 12th, it was clear that the opposition Alliance Lepep had won a landslide, taking nearly three quarters of the seats: 47 out of 62. The PTR‐MMM took just 13 seats. The remaining two seats went to small local parties on Rodrigues. Sir Anerood Jugnauth was declared Prime Minister on December 13th. He previously held the post from 1982–1995 and again between 2000–2003. The outgoing prime minister Ramgoolam accepted defeat late on December 12th even as votes were still being counted. The defeat was so crushing that he even lost his own seat that he had held for 23 years. (© AFP 12/12 2014) The MMM leader, Paul Bérenger, whose party obtained nine seats, was designated leader of the Opposition. (PANA, Port Louis 13/12) The elections were closely monitored by around 100 foreign observers and several international organisations such as the Francophonie, Southern Africa Development Community ( SADC ) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ). While COMESA called for certain improvements to the election process, SADC declared the elections ‘‘free, fair, credible, transparent, calm and democratic.” (PANA, Port Louis 13/12) The new cabinet was announced on December 13th, and is now as follows: Prime Minister , Home Minister and Minister of Rodrigues: Sir Anerood Jugnauth Ministers Tourism: Xavier‐Luc Duval Housing and Land: Showkutally Soodhun Energy and Public Utilities: Ivan Collendavellloo Finance and Economic Development: Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo Technology, Communication and Innovation: Pravind Jugnauth Youth and Sports: Yogida Sawminaden Infrastructure and Transport: Nando Bodha Education, Tertiary Education and Human Resources: Leela Devi Dookun Health and Quality of Life: Anil Gayan Local Government: Anwar Husnoo Social Integrity: Pradeep Roopun Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade: Etienne Sinaatambou Attorney General: Ravi Yerrigadoo Agro‐industry: Mahen Seeruttun Arts and Culture: Dan Baboo Industry and Commerce: Ashit Gungah Gender Equality and Child Development: Aurore Perraud Financial Services and Good Governance: Roshi Bhadain Commerce, Enterprises and Cooperatives: Sunil Bholah Security, Social and National Solidarity: Fazila Daureeawoo Ocean Economy, Fishing and Outer Islands: Prem Koonjoo Environment, National Urgency: Raj Dayal Civil Service: Alain Wong Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training.: Soodesh Callichurn (PANA, Port Louis 16/12) Maya Hanoomanjee , 62, was on December 22nd elected Speaker of the Parliament, the first woman to occupy the post. Adrien Duval was elected Deputy Speaker. (PANA, Port Louis 22/12) Elections in December p. 20354C

Journal

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series – Wiley

Published: Jan 1, 2015

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