Cape Verde's Prime Minister José Maria Neves at a PAICV rally

© PAICV/afrol News

afrol News, 7 February - Cape Verde's ruling socialist PAICV party made major losses in yesterday's parliamentary elections, but closely managed to maintain its majority, according to preliminary results published today.

Prime Minister José Maria Neves is set to govern Cape Verde for yet another five years, if the preliminary results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) this afternoon are correct.

His ruling PAICV party, according to the CNE, got 51 percent of the votes, securing it a continued, although tighter, majority in the Praia parliament. The PAICV will have 37 out of parliament's total of 72 seats, preliminary calculations revealed.

The PAICV, a reformed social-democratic party with a communist past, during the last elections, in 2006, had assured a somewhat broader majority in the outgoing parliament. Its 52 percent of the vote at that time had given the ruling party 41 deputies.

The main winner of yesterday's elections, although failing its aim of thwarting the PAICV majority, was the conservative MPD opposition party. From the 2006 election to yesterday's poll, the MPD improved its standing from 44 to and estimated 46 percent of the vote and from 29 to 33 seats in the Praia parliament.

The minor UCID opposition party, according to preliminary numbers, was able to maintain its two parliamentary seats.

While the numbers are preliminary and there may be re-counts in some districts, the PAICV holds that the margins in its favour are sufficiently large to celebrate the victory already today.

Prime Minister Neves in a statement to the press today said the election results represented "a historic victory." He was referring to the fact that this is the first time since the introduction of a multi-party democracy in 1990 that a government is re-elected twice in a row in Cape Verde.

Immediately after the introduction of a true democracy in Cape Verde, the PAICV and MPD were elected to hold power in alternate polls. Over the last decade, however, Cape Verde has seen an impressive economic and social development, with many voters thanking the ruling PAICV for the gains made.

Prime Minister Neves has made it clear that he wanted to continue to head government if the PAICV would win the election. In Cape Verde, the Prime Minister is the head of the executive, while the President mostly has representative powers.

Cape Verde is to hold presidential elections later this year, most probably in August. Incumbent President Pedro Pires of the PAICV is not expected to seek re-election after two terms in the office.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Tweet

Printable version

On the Afrol News front page now

UN will not monitor human rights in Western Sahara afrol News - The US has backed down on its demand that UN peacekeepers in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara also shall monitor the human rights situation after Moroccan sources threatened to scale down relations with Washington. Read more

Central African Republic

Central African Republic falling apart afrol News - One month after the rebel movement Séléka took over power in the Central African Republic, unrest is spreading in the country. The new leader lacks control of his forces, which continue looting and abusing civilians. Read more

Kenya

Kenyatta secures tight victory in Kenya afrol News - The official election results in Kenya have finally been announced, and Uhuru Kenyatta managed to win the first poll round outright with a narrow 50.7 percent. But the main opponent, PM Raila Odinga, is filing a vote rigging complaint to the courts. Read more

Cape Verde Cape Verde to produce dragon fruit afrol News - Cape Verde authorities have invested large sums to diversify the arid country's agricultural sector. Now, the dragon fruit, originating in tropical America, is being introduced for the first commercial production in Africa. Read more

Egypt Even governors in Pharaonic Egypt died in their 20s afrol News - Researchers have analysed more than 200 mummies from ancient Egypt, finding that even high dignitaries were poorly nourished and had infectious diseases. The typical governor in Pharaonic Egypt died before he was 30 years old. Read more