NDP Sweeps St. Vincent Election in 14–1 Defeat for Gonsalves
The opposition New Democratic Party won a landslide victory in Thursday’s general election, ending the Unity Labour Party’s 24-year hold on power and leaving Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves as the lone ULP member in the 15-seat Parliament.
Preliminary results show the NDP capturing 14 seats, with Gonsalves retaining the only seat for the ULP. It marks the most dramatic political shift in the country’s recent history and signals the end of Gonsalves’ bid for a sixth consecutive term.
NDP leader Dr. Godwin Friday declared victory on social media early Friday, hours before the full results were formally released. The win positions Friday to become the country’s next prime minister.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness congratulated Friday in a post on X, praising St. Vincent and the Grenadines for its “peaceful and democratic process.”
Taiwan’s ambassador also offered congratulations to the NDP. Saint Vincent is among Taipei’s few remaining diplomatic allies, though the NDP had previously suggested reconsidering ties in favor of closer relations with China. The party’s manifesto did not call for ending relations with Taiwan.
Gonsalves, one of the world’s longest-serving democratically elected leaders, has governed since 2001. The 14–1 loss is the ULP’s worst electoral performance since taking office more than two decades ago.
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