2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election

2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election
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All 41 seats in the House of Representatives
21 seats needed for a majority
Turnout58.08% (Decrease8.76pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Keith Rowley Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Party PNM UNC
Last election 51.68%, 23 seats 39.61%, 17 seats
Seats won 22 19
Seat change Decrease1 Increase2
Popular vote 322,180 309,654
Percentage 49.05% 47.14%
Swing Decrease2.63pp Increase7.53pp
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election

Keith Rowley
PNM

Subsequent Prime Minister

Keith Rowley
PNM

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, 10 August 2020,[1] to elect 41 members to the 12th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It was the 14th election since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and the 22nd national election in Trinidad and Tobago ever. Tracy Davidson-Celestine, political leader of the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM) became the first woman to lead a Tobagonian political party with representation in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two of the three largest parties elected in 2015, the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP), were led by women.[2]

President Paula-Mae Weekes, with the advice of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, dissolved Parliament and issued the writs for the election on 3 July 2020.[3]

The first-term incumbent People's National Movement (PNM), led by incumbent Prime Minister Keith Rowley, won 22 seats to form a second five-year term majority government by defeating the opposition United National Congress, led by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.[4][5][6] Her latest in a series of losses at the polls which commenced with the January 2013 Tobago House of Assembly election with the wipeout of her People's Partnership-led administration from the Tobago House of Assembly due to a landslide victory by the Tobago Council of the PNM, losses at the 2013 Trinidadian local elections, St. Joseph and Chaguanas West bye-elections, loss in the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election, and subsequent losses in local government bye-elections[7][8] has placed pressure on her to offer her resignation before the 2020 United National Congress leadership election.[9] The UNC finished with 19 seats. The results in six constituencies were subject to recounts, causing the final election results to be delayed by a week.[10] This is the first parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago where the result was not finalized the day after the election.[11]

Voters elected the 41 members to the House of Representatives by first-past-the-post voting. Rowley and the new cabinet were sworn in on 19 August 2020.[12]

  1. ^ "August 10 is Trinidad and Tobago election day". Archived from the original on 3 July 2020.
  2. ^ "30 percent of election candidates are women". Loop News. 29 July 2020. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Proclamation - Prorogation / Dissolution of Parliament" (PDF). Trinidad and Tobago Parliament. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 July 2020.
  4. ^ "2020 General Election - Trinidad Guardian". guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. ^ "2020 General Elections". CNC3. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Trinidad and Tobago 2020 Election Centre Live Results". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  7. ^ "People have sent message". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Government loses key by-election". country.eiu.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Latest loss puts Kamla under pressure". CNC3. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference recount was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Charles, Jacqueline (11 August 2020). "After PNM win, Trinidad opposition demands election recount". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference sworn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).