PORT LOUIS: Mauritius opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam said Tuesday his alliance had secured a landslide election victory, after the incumbent prime minister conceded he faced a “huge defeat”. Ramgoolam, now set for a third term as prime minister, told crowds of jubilant supporters that his Alliance of Change had made a clean sweep of parliamentary seats on the island of Mauritius in Sunday’s vote. “The court of the people has delivered its verdict and a new Mauritius awakes,” the 77-year-old said to boisterous cheers and blaring horns.

He claimed his side had won all 60 of the National Assembly seats for the island that were up for grabs, in a victory over prime minister Pravind Jugnauth, known as PKJ, who has been in office since 2017. Ramgoolam now faces the task of uniting the Indian Ocean archipelago, touted as one of Africa’s most stable and prosperous democracies, after a tense and hotly-disputed election.

“I hope PKJ resigns soon. He was beaten 60-0,” Ramgoolam added. The figure was confirmed by local media, although the election commission has yet to issue official results. It would be the third time since Mauritius became independent from Britain in 1968 that there has been a 60-0 score, media reports said. As well as the 60 seats for Mauritius, there were two up for grabs for the island of Rodrigues and another eight allocated under what is dubbed the “best loser” system. The winner-takes-all election model means single coalitions often dominate parliament.

‘Huge defeat’ for PM

Jugnauth had said Monday that his Lepep alliance, led by his Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), was “heading towards a huge defeat”. “The people have chosen another team to lead the country.” Only last month, the 62-year-old prime minister was celebrating a historic deal that saw Britain cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after a long-running dispute.

But the vote was overshadowed by an explosive wire-tapping scandal, when secretly recorded phone calls of politicians, diplomats, members of civil society and journalists were leaked online. During the campaign, both camps promised to improve the lot of ordinary Mauritians who face cost-of-living difficulties despite robust economic growth. Measures outlined in the Alliance of Change manifesto include the creation of a fund to support families facing hardship, free public transport, increased pensions and reduced fuel prices, as well as efforts to tackle corruption and boost the green economy. It also called for constitutional and electoral reforms including changing how the president and parliament speaker are chosen.

The majority-Hindu nation has seen substantial stability and growth since independence, building an economy based on tourism as well as financial services and textile manufacturing. Gross domestic product per capita in 2022 was more than $10,000, according to the World Bank. But analysts have highlighted growing concerns about governance and corruption as well as the need to diversify the Mauritian economy.

Both Jugnauth and Ramgoolam are members of the dynasties that have dominated the leadership of Mauritius since independence. Ramgoolam, who previously worked as a doctor and a lawyer, served as prime minister between 1995 and 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014. He is the son of Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, who led Mauritius to independence from Britain in 1968.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first foreign leader to publicly congratulate Ramgoolam, who is of Indian ancestry. “I wished him great success in leading Mauritius and extended an invitation to visit India. Look forward to working closely together to strengthen our special and unique partnership,” Modi posted on X on Monday. — AFP