PM of Mauritius says his party is going to lose the poll by a huge margin
Mauritius’s current Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, said on Monday that his party’s coalition was going to lose badly to a rival coalition run by a three-time former prime minister after Sunday’s election.
According to Jugnauth, the Alliance du Changement, which is led by 77-year-old experienced politician Navin Ramgoolam, was likely to win the vote on the group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are home to about 1.3 million people.
People were worried about the rising cost of living, so Rangoolam’s union said it would raise pensions, make public transportation and the internet free, and lower the price of fuel.
Jugnauth said he would raise the minimum wage, make pensions better, and lower the value-added tax on some things. He also worked out a deal in October for Britain to give up the Chagos Islands but keep the U.S.-UK Diego Garcia air base.
Some people wanted a change of direction, even though he had done well and kept his promises.
“L’Alliance Lepep is going to lose badly.” I’ve done what I could for the people and the country. The people have picked a different team. He told reporters, “I hope the country does well.”
Final results are coming soon.
His government blocked social media sites earlier this month until the day after the election, saying it was for national security reasons after talks between public figures were made public. After opposition groups spoke out against the move, it lifted the ban the next day.
People from 68 parties and five political alliances ran for the 62 places in parliament that will be filled for the next five years.
The prime minister’s job goes to the party or alliance that gets more than half of the seats in parliament.
Election commission figures showed that 79.3% of the just over 1 million registered voters actually went to the polls.
They were going to give out the final results later on Monday.
Jugnauth became prime minister when his father stepped down in 2017. He won the election five years ago, even though the opposition said it was due to bribery and unfair influence.
Ramgoolam was prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again in 2005 and 2010. He is the son of the person who led Mauritius to freedom in 1968. He worked as a doctor and a lawyer before becoming a politician full-time.
