Mauritius

Historic Election Marks a Turning Point For Mauritius

A decade-long authoritarian rule in Mauritius came to an abrupt end, when the oppositions parties won the general election in early November

A decade of authoritarian rule came to an end as Mauritius held its general elections on November 10, 2024. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of L’Alliance Lepep had been in power since 2014, inheriting the prime ministership from his father in a monarchy-like manner. His administration grew increasingly authoritarian, especially after the 2019 elections, where he won with only 37% of the vote. Unpopular with the people, the government prioritized self-preservation over public needs, sidelining democracy, transparency, and the people’s welfare.  

In response to this, the Alliance du Changement (ADC) was formed, a coalition of four opposition parties: New Democrats (ND), Labour Party (Ptr), Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), and Rezistans ek Alternativ (RA). Despite differing views, the coalition united over shared goals, with the primary aim of ending the Jugnauth regime. They emphasized the need for constitutional reforms to prevent similar authoritarian governance in the future. Despite these parties not aligning on all policy areas, they agree on the most essential; more rights to the voters, here under, the right for governmental impeachment between election if the prime minister is not conducting his rule in a lawful way, nature rights, labor rights, social, cultural and economic rights, educational rights, and rights to housing and health.

The election was heavily influenced by a wiretapping scandal that shook the nation. An anonymous whistleblower, known as Missie Moustass, leaked audio recordings of private phone calls that exposed widespread corruption and abuse of power. These included revelations that Jugnauth’s wife was making key government decisions behind the scenes, earning her the nickname “Lady Macbeth” among the public. Amongst the scandals revealed, there was evidence of political favoritism and even a phone call between a forensic practitioner and a high standing police officer, revealing police misconduct, as the officer requested fabricating autopsy results to cover up a death in custody. 

Following the leaks, the government imposed a social media ban, blocking platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram under the effort of preventing disinformation, and ensuring public order. However, the Mauritian population did not take well to this. Widespread outrage, objecting that social media restrictions undermine democratic freedom and public access to vital information – Especially critical, during times of elections – led to the reversal of the ban within a day.The people of Mauritius displayed an admirable level of civic engagement, with citizens actively monitoring polling stations and safeguarding ballot integrity, ensuring fair conduct. These efforts showed the Mauritians’ determination to restore fair and justice election, after allegations of electoral fraud in the 2019 elections. 

Despite Lepep’s extreme efforts to influence the electoral process, as the votes were counted, they had to admit defeat. The ADC managed to secure 60 seats in the government, a landslide victory, signaling a significant shift for Mauritius. Rezistans ek Alternativ (RA), a key member of ADC and ally of our partner Centre for Alternative Research and studies (CARES), celebrated its success in the election, securing three parliamentary seats. While RA has long opposed the systemic issues in Mauritian governance, their newfound government role presents both challenges and opportunities. “Our focus remains on pushing for liberty, freedom and democracy for the people, even if not all of our values are reflected in the coalition’s policies,” our partner in CARES states. 

Our partners hope that among the reforms revised in the country, the controversial issue of Mauritians agricultural land policy and the offshore military base in the Indian Ocean, compromising Mauritian sovereignty will be addressed. Both issues stemming from colonial-era practices and affecting current day Mauritians. 

When the country had the monopoly on sugarcane production under the sugar protocol, land for farming was concentrated in the hands of a few elites and corporations. Since the end of the sugar protocol, reforms aimed at diversifying the economy left many small-scale farmers without sufficient support. A focus on this issue could potentially shift towards empowering smallholders and prioritizing equitable land redistribution, food sovereignty, and environmental sustainability.

The US military base in the Indian Ocean raises issues of sovereignty, environmental impact, as it is a leased territory from the UK to the US, residue from imperialism. This has been a major struggle since Mauritius gained their independence and this election could be an opportunity to revise hosting the military base, and instead ensuring Mauritius’s resources and strategic location are used in ways that benefit its people.

Not only is it a win for the Mauritians population, but in a world where we are seeing a rising tendency for right winged governments taking office, due to global security concerns, it’s hopeful to see socialism and freedom prevail.