Cabo Verde President José Maria Neves announced on Monday, September 14, 2026, that he will seek a second five-year term in the country’s presidential election scheduled for November 15, 2026.
Following his declaration, National Assembly President Janira Hopffer Almada, who became the country’s first female parliamentary speaker in June 2026, will serve as interim President for the next two months.
Neves, 66, served as prime minister from 2001 to 2016 before being elected president in 2021. He said he was seeking another term to apply his experience to the country’s future and continue initiatives that could not be completed within a single electoral cycle.
At least nine people have declared their intention to contest the presidency, although prospective candidates must submit the required documents to the Constitutional Court before Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Neves has indicated that he is seeking support from the African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV), which he previously led, while appealing for broader backing.
Cabo Verde, an Atlantic archipelago of about 520,000 people, gained independence from Portugal in 1975. The country has maintained relative political stability since its first free elections in 1991 and is widely regarded as one of Africa’s more stable democracies.