2026 Cape Verdean parliamentary election
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17 May 2026
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All 72 seats in the National Assembly 37 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||
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Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Cape Verde on 17 May 2026.[1] All 72 members of the National Assembly will be elected.
Background
[edit]The previous legislative elections of April 2021 — held during Covid-19 pandemic — resulted in the continued presence of the Movement for Democracy (MpD) of outgoing Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva. Despite a decline, the MpD managed to retain its absolute majority of seats, while the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) led by Janira Hopffer Almada stagnated and the Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union (UCID) benefited from a slight increase.[2]
Held six months later, the October presidential election was won in the first round by José Maria Neves, former Prime Minister from the PAICV (2001-2016). With over 51% of the vote, he defeated the MpD candidate, Carlos Veiga, also a former head of government. This victory thus established a power-sharing arrangement with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, also from the MpD.[3]
In December 2024, the local elections saw the PAICV win 14 municipalities—including the capital, Praia. This was the first time the party had come out on top in municipal elections since those of February 2000.[4][5] Despite the party's defeat, the national leadership of the MpD announced theJanuary 12, 2025to renew its support for Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva for a new term in the 2026 legislative elections.[6] On 25 May. in the same year, the mayor of Praia, Francisco Carvalho, was elected as president of the PAICV. He was then considered to be the party's candidate for Prime Minister in 2026.[7][8]
On 19 January 2026, the President of the Republic, José Maria Neves, announces the holding of legislative elections for 17 May following consultations with the various political parties, the presidential decree convening the election was published on 9 February.[9] The dates for the presidential election are also scheduled for 15 November, for the first round, with a potential second round on 29 November, that is, six months after the legislative elections.[10]
Electoral system
[edit]The 72 members of the National Assembly are elected from 13 multi-member constituencies ranging in size from 2 to 15 seats. Three of the 13 multi-member constituencies are for diaspora voters in Africa, the Americas and Europe. The elections are held using closed list proportional representation, with seats allocated using the d'Hondt method.[11]
Parties
[edit]| Parties | Ideology | Leader | Results in 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement for Democracy
Movimento para Democracia |
MPD | Center to center-right - Liberalism, social liberalism, Christian democracy | Ulisses Correia e Silva
(Prime Minister) |
50.02% of the votes,
40 members of parliament |
| African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
Partido Africano da Independência de Cabo Verde |
PAICV | Left-wing - Social democracy, democratic socialism, left-wing nationalism | Francisco Carvalho | 39.55% of the votes,
30 members of parliament |
| Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union
União caboverdiana independente e democrática |
UCID | Centre-right - Conservatism, Christian democracy | João Santos Luís | 9.01% of the vote,
4 MPs |
References
[edit]- ^ "Cape Verde announces dates for legislative, presidential elections". english.news.cn. 2026-01-20. Retrieved 2026-01-25.
- ^ Charlotte Idrac (18 April 2026). "Cap-Vert: élections législatives dans un contexte de pandémie". Radio France Internationale.
- ^ Charlotte Idrac (18 October 2021). "Cap-Vert: le candidat de la gauche, José Maria Neves, élu président dès le premier tour". Radio France internationale. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ^ "Cap-Vert: le parti PAICV vainqueur des élections locales". Africa 24. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "Cabo Verde: MpD assume derrota nas autárquicas". Deutsche Welle (in Portuguese). 2 December 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "Cabo Verde. MpD renova apoio a Ulisses Correia e Silva para legislativas". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). Agência de Notícias de Portugal. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
- ^ Odair Santos (26 May 2025). "Francisco Carvalho é o novo presidente do PAICV". Radio France Internationale (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "Francisco Carvalho eleito presidente do PAICV". Santiago Magazine (in Portuguese). Agência de Notícias de Portugal. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "Decreto Presidencial oficializa data para as próximas Eleições Legislativas". Presidência da República de Cabo Verde (in Portuguese). 9 February 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "Eleições 2026: Legislativas a 17 de Maio e Presidenciais a 15 de Novembro". A Naçao (in Portuguese). 19 January 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Electoral system Archived 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine IPU
