Bahamas is set to hold an early election on May 12
Prime minister announced on Wednesday that voters in the Bahamas will go to the polls for an early election on May 12, as the Caribbean nation faces challenges related to affordability.
The announcement was made on the same day the government eliminated a value-added tax on unprepared grocery items to alleviate a cost of living that is ranked as the sixth highest in the world, according to statistics from Numbeo.
Prime Minister Philip Davis announced that he would dissolve parliament on April 8 and officially call the election the next day. An election was not scheduled until mid-October.
“As we navigate this election season, I urge every Bahamian to hold onto one fundamental truth: regardless of our political differences, we all share a deep love for this country,” Davis expressed in a statement.
In the most recent election held in September 2021, Davis’ Progressive Liberal Party removed the previously governing Free National Movement from power.
The upcoming May election is anticipated to be primarily a battle between the two dominant parties, the PLP and the FNM. However, a smaller third party, the Coalition of Independents, will also participate in the contest and has recently gained some attention.
No prime minister of an independent Bahamas has ever been elected from a third party, and the last time a prime minister was reelected was in 1997.
