The outgoing prime minister admits defeat.

The outgoing Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, acknowledged on Monday, November 11, his defeat in a legislative election marked by concerns about the political and economic stability of one of the most stable and richest democracies in Africa. “The population chose another team. I wish you good luck”he declared to the press, after a campaign marked by a large-scale wiretapping scandal.

Jugnauth’s Militant Socialist Movement and its allies had hoped to retain their majority in the National Assembly (they held 42 seats out of 70), but the midday results announced the victory of the Alliance for Change, led by Navin Ramgoolam, 77, leader of the Labor Party and former prime minister.

In this republic, which has only known three families at the head of its government since its independence in 1968, Pravind Jugnauth hoped to serve a new five-year term at the end of these elections. But a phone hacking scandal quickly tarnished his campaign after excerpts of phone conversations with politicians, members of civil society, diplomats and journalists were leaked on social media in October. In response, the authorities announced on 1^Ahem In November, he blocked social media until the day after the election, before changing his mind in the face of opposition anger.

Fears of fraud

Following press reports of fears of fraud, police officers were deployed to polling stations. Ramgoolam initially called for vigilance, but later assured that the vote had taken place without incident. “Tomorrow we are heading towards a great victory. [lundi]. The people are waiting for this liberation.”declared. “We are confident in victory, because people value our record”his opponent, Mr. Jugnauth, had also assured.

During these elections the two men also faced an alliance that presented itself as an alternative, whose motto was “Neither Navin nor Pravind.”that criticizes corruption and nepotism in the archipelago. In total 891 candidates presented themselves. Of them, 62 will be elected deputies at the end of the vote.

Around one million voters were registered for these twelfth legislative elections in the history of the Republic of Mauritius. The alliance led by Jugnauth won the 2019 legislative elections, obtaining 42 seats, out of 70, in the National Assembly. This election victory established the legitimacy of the man who succeeded his father, Anerood Jugnauth, in 2017.

Navin Ramgoolam, former prime minister (1995-2000 and 2005-2014), is the son of Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, who led the former British colony to independence before becoming its first head of government.

Mauritius concluded an agreement with the United Kingdom on the Chagos Archipelago in October, hailed by Mr. Jugnauth as the culmination of “decolonization”. The text establishes, however, that “for an initial period of ninety-nine years,” London will be “authorized to exercise sovereign rights” at the US military base located there. Mauritius claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago since its acquisition in 1965 by London, which expelled its inhabitants to establish the base there.