Mauritius voted yesterday in a close-fought parliamentary election focused on economic and political stability in one of Africa’s most prosperous democracies.
The vote in the Indian Ocean archipelago came on the heels of a historic agreement last month that saw Britain cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following a long-running dispute.
But incumbent Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth’s hopes of an easy re-election on the back of the deal were dealt a blow when secretly recorded phone calls of politicians, diplomats and journalists began to be leaked online last month.
Seeking to keep a lid on the explosive scandal, the authorities announced a social media ban until after the election, before making an embarrassing climbdown in the face of opposition and media outrage.
The move nevertheless added to concerns that Mauritius’s much-vaunted democracy and civil liberties were being gradually eroded.
The battle for control of the 70-seat National Assembly played out between two main blocs — Jugnauth’s Militant Socialist Movement and its allies, which currently enjoy a majority, and the Alliance of Change led by former prime minister Navin Ramgoolam. Both camps said they were confident of victory, promising voters they would act to reduce poverty and the cost of living. One hour before polls closed at 6pm (1400 GMT), turnout was 70%, according to the electoral commission, without giving a comparison with the 2019 vote.
Results are expected today. Police had been stationed in polling stations across the country to ensure the security of the vote, while observers from regional groupings including the African Union monitored the process. Ramgoolam had warned shortly after polls opened about the risk of fraud, while later saying that voting went off largely without incident. “We are heading towards a big victory tomorrow. The people are waiting for this liberation,” the 77-year-old told reporters.
Jugnauth, 62, issued a similar declaration.
“We are confident of winning because the people appreciate our record,” he said, accusing the opposition of trying to hinder the smooth running of the vote.