On Friday October 4, the President of Mauritius announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and set November 10 as the date for legislative elections, as the five-year term of the deputies nears its end.
This announcement follows a “historic” agreement between Mauritius and the United Kingdom over the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, resolving more than half a century of dispute.
“Acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister,” President Prithvirajsing Roopun dissolved parliament with immediate effect and declared “November 10, 2024, as the polling day.” The National Assembly’s dissolution was required before November 21, the conclusion of the island’s five-year parliamentary term.
Outgoing Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, who won the 2019 legislative elections by a wide margin, reflected on the government’s tenure, saying, “It has been five years since you placed your trust in us, and we have honored our contract with the people as a responsible and stable team.” Jugnauth, who succeeded his father as prime minister in 2017, added, “We are heading towards another significant moment in our history where all eligible Mauritians will decide our future.”
Mauritius, known for its political stability, has been one of Africa’s most stable democracies since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. Its economy is largely driven by tourism, financial services, sugar and textile exports, and fisheries.
Candidates for the legislative elections must submit their nominations by October 22. Under the Mauritian electoral system, 62 seats in parliament are elected through direct universal suffrage, while eight additional seats are appointed through a “best loser” system. In the 2019 elections, the Alliance Morisien coalition, led by Jugnauth’s Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), secured a strong majority with 42 seats.