Mauritius is holding its 12th parliamentary election since independence, with voters casting ballots amidst a backdrop of a wiretapping scandal and a rising cost of living crisis, Al Jazeera reports.
Polls opened at 7 am local time (3:00 GMT) on Sunday and are scheduled to close at 6 pm (14:00 GMT). The results are expected on Monday. Approximately one million registered voters will choose 62 members for the National Assembly.
The cost of living has become a central issue for voters in the Indian Ocean archipelago, with both Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth’s Militant Socialist Movement and the opposition parties promising to address the issue in one of Africa’s most prosperous nations.
Jugnauth, seeking reelection a month after securing the UK’s cession of the Chagos Islands, has seen his campaign overshadowed by a wiretapping scandal. The leak of secretly recorded conversations involving politicians, diplomats, and journalists has dealt a blow to Jugnauth’s party.
In response, authorities initially announced a social media ban until after the election. However, following an uproar from the opposition and local media, the ban was quickly rescinded.
Campaigning has been tense, with police deployed at polling stations to ensure security. Concerns about electoral fraud have emerged, prompting the African Union to send a 30-member observer mission to the nation, known for its stable democracy.
Mauritius, with a population of 1.3 million, positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, relying heavily on its offshore financial sector, tourism, and textiles for revenue. While the country forecasts a 6.5% economic growth this year, many voters are not seeing the benefits.
Jugnauth’s Alliance Lepep coalition has pledged to increase minimum wages, raise pensions, and reduce VAT on essential goods, promising to use payments from the UK under the Chagos Islands agreement to fund these initiatives.
Meanwhile, the opposition, led by Navin Ramgoolam’s Alliance of Change coalition, has also pledged to increase pensions, introduce free transport and internet services, and lower fuel prices.
