The former Prime Minister José Maria Neves, won the presidential election with 51.5% of the votes in this archipelago quoted as an example of democratic success in West Africa.
Le Monde with AFP
The party candidate of the historic left in Cape Verde, former Prime Minister José Maria Neves, won the presidential election from the first round Sunday in this archipelago quoted as an example democratic success in West Africa , depending on the provisional results published on an official website. Mr Neves, 61, a member of the African Party for the independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) and Head of the Government from 2001 to 2016, collected 51.5% of the vote, an absolute majority necessary to be elected from the first round, according to these results bearing 97% of the polling stations.
It largely ahead Carlos Veiga, from the movement for democracy (MPD, right center, majority in parliament). Mr. Veiga, 71, another former Prime Minister from 1991 to 2000, obtained 42.6% of the vote, according to the same results. Mr. Veiga has recognized his defeat before television and congratulated his opponent. Abstention reached 51.7% of registrants during this ballot. These results still need to be validated by the Electoral Commission. If they are, it’s a cohabitation that promises to the head of Cape Verde.
Cape Verde has renewed the absolute majority of the Prime Minister of the Prime Minister Correia E Silva (38 seats), in front of the PAICV (30 seats out of 72). The champion of the President is restricted. Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary regime, sponsoring the Prime Minister, the government and Parliament. Mr. Neves’ long exercise as Prime Minister was marked by the establishment of relations with China, the signing of a treaty with the European Union and the presentation in 2008 of a predominantly female government.
Successful economy and stable democracy
In total, 398 864 Cape Verdeans, more than 56,000 abroad, were called upon to choose a candidate among a record of seven competitors, all men, to take the lead of this volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic off Senegal. It was a question of designating the fifth head of the independent Cape Verde State following Jorge Carlos Fonseca, MPD. Elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2016, it was unable to run for a third consecutive term.
Since the introduction of multiparty politics in 1990, 15 years after independence vis-à-vis Portugal, the PAICV and the MPD have shared power and have practiced a smooth alternation taped by defenders of a Democracy weakened elsewhere in West Africa. Mr Neves takes the lead of a country of 550,000 with one of the highest GDPs of West Africa and experienced years of sustained growth.
But the economy, dependent on 25% of mainly European tourism, also dependent on the payments of the numerous diaspora and development aid, hardly accused the stroke of CVIV-19. The pandemic has accentuated the effects of an aggravated drought in recent years. Carlos Veiga had already lost in 2001 and 2006 against the candidate supported by the PAICV, Pedro Pires.