São Tomé and Príncipe Presidential Election Underway

Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe are heading to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election, as the small African nation seeks to solidify its democratic credentials. With approximately 142,000 people registered to vote, including about 15% living in the diaspora, the country is set to exercise its right to choose its next leader. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe has built a reputation for peaceful and competitive elections.

However, this year’s vote comes at a time of heightened political tension and a lingering constitutional crisis. President Carlos Vila Nova is running for a second term as an independent, having parted ways with the ruling Acção Democrática Independente (ADI) party. Vila Nova’s decision to run as an independent has created a rift with his former party, which began when he dismissed Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada in January last year.

The current prime minister, Américo Ramos, is backing ADI parliamentary leader Nito D’Abreu, who is also running for the presidency. Other candidates include Jorge Bom Jesus, who attempted to withdraw his candidacy but missed the deadline and remains on the ballot. Businessman Domingos Monteiro was disqualified due to eligibility issues, with the constitutional court ruling he did not meet the requirements.

Monteiro, who has been president of the São Toméan Football Federation since 2015, was born on the island, but his parents never became naturalised citizens after moving from Cape Verde where they were born. “The constitutional court is violating the principle of equal rights… It is time for descendants born in São Tomé and Príncipe to say no to discrimination, to the culture of xenophobia and persecution,” said Monteiro. The election has brought together an unlikely coalition, with the main opposition party, the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe, backing Vila Nova despite being staunch opponents of the ADI. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the election will proceed to a second round.

Key issues for voters include government corruption, high inflation, severe youth unemployment, chronic fuel shortages, and frequent blackouts. Vila Nova’s rivals are hoping that these issues will hinder his chances of a second term and propel them to the presidency. Corruption in São Tomé and Príncipe “is the greatest catastrophe the country has experienced in this half-century [of independence]”, D’Abreu said at the presidential debate on Tuesday.

Observer missions from the European Union, G7+, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries are on the ground to monitor the polls.