- The conservative party of President Fradique de Menezes won a largest number of seats to the parliament of São Tomé and Príncipe after polls held this Sunday. The National Election Commission (CEN) has almost finished the vote count and concludes that the President's party will be guaranteed at least 23 out of parliament's 55 seats, thus able to form a coalition government.
This will be the first time that the conservative Democratic Movement of Forces for Change (MDFM) will control the presidency and keep the socialist out of government in the small island state. Until now, the ex-Marxist Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP) has either held a parliamentary majority or been part of a coalition government. MLSTP has dominated São Toméan politics since independence in 1975, at times also running a one-party state.
According to the provisional results published by the electoral commission, the President's party has won 23 parliamentary seats. The socialists were able to secure only 19 seats, while the centrist party Independent Democratic Action (ADI) made major gains, winning 12 seats in the São Tomé parliament. ADI, which is led by Patrice Trovoada, is now expected to form a coalition government with MDFM.
While the MDFM today declared its victory, political parties are already investigating possible government coalitions. Mr Trovoada today stated his willingness to negotiate a coalition with "the political force winning the elections." The ADI was eager to "contribute to the stability of the country," the party leader said.
The presidential party today made it clear that as the poll winner, it would head the next São Toméan government. The MDFM announced it would seek a coalition partner - having no preferences - or opt to form a minority government, election campaign leader Delfim Neves said in a statement to the press.
The legislative elections had a relatively high voter turnout despite calls for a boycott. Some 64 percent of voters visited polling stations, according to the CEN. The polls were originally set for Sunday 26 March, but a boycott action in four major districts hindered more than one tenth of voters from giving their vote. A re-run in the affected districts was thus held on Sunday 2 April. The polling exercise went peacefully.
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