Cabo Verde / Cape Verde - Election 2011
Cape Verde is a multiparty parliamentary democracy in which constitutional powers are shared between the newly elected (in August) head of state, President Jorge Carlos Fonseca, and Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves, who is serving a third term after his party won the parliamentary elections in February. President Fonseca was elected to a five-year term in generally free and fair elections. The Supreme Court and the National Electoral Commission also declared the 2011 nationwide legislative elections generally free and fair. There continue to be isolated instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of civilian control.
Despite a shortage of resources and chronic drought, the country of 500,000 inhabitants has enjoyed political stability. In addition, the remittances of the 700,000 Cape Verdeans living abroad have provided an important source of revenue. Under the PAICV government, the country graduated from the category of the least developed countries in June 2007. However, the global economic crisis had a negative impact on remittances from overseas, and unemployment remained high (13 per cent according to the government and 17 per cent according to the MPD). According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the economy was expected to grow by 6 per cent in 2011, thanks to the booming tourism industry.
The constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice. The independent press was active and expressed a variety of views without direct restriction. Specific legislation provides for radio, television, written press, and other media freedom.
There were three newspapers that tended to reflect different political parties’ views, and one public and two private television channels. In July, during the presidential elections, the weekly program Visao Global (Global Vision) – the only political debate program in the country – was suspended after alleged actions by the commentators that violated electoral law. Article 105 of the electoral law prohibits media organizations from making any kind of pronouncements, favorable or unfavorable, about stakeholders in the electoral process after a certain date of a campaign.
African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) president and Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves ran on the government's record, citing the construction of three international airports and several roads over the past 10 years under PAICV rule. The PAICV promised to raise social pensions (received by persons aged over 60 with no other form of pension) and establish a national minimum wage. Movement for Democracy (MPD) leader, Mr. Carlos Veiga - prime minister between 1991 and 2001 - argued that the country needed strong leadership to reverse its current economic situation. The MPD criticized the PAICV for failing in fundamental sectors such as employment, water and electricity, security, education and health. The Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID), led by Mr. António Monteiro, pledged to fight what it termed the chronic bipolarization in the National Assembly.
Economic Community of West African States and African Union election observers characterized these elections as free, transparent, and credible. However, they noted some irregularities, including cases of pressuring voters near polling stations and also of vote buying. Jorge Carlos Fonseca, the candidate supported by the opposition MpD, won the election with approximately 54 percent of the vote, while Manuel Inocencio Sousa, the candidate supported by the PAICV, received 46 percent of votes.
Political parties acted without restriction or external interference. Individuals could declare their candidacies and parties could select their candidates without interference. Of the 72 National Assembly seats, women held 19, and there were eight women working in cabinet-level positions in government ministries out of 21 such positions. Women filled three of eight seats on the SCJ.
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