Key facts
- São Tomé and Príncipe is holding a presidential election on Sunday.
- Approximately 142,000 people are registered to vote, with 15% living in the diaspora.
- President Carlos Vila Nova is seeking a second term as an independent candidate.
- Vila Nova dismissed Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada last year, leading to political friction.
- Key issues for voters include corruption, inflation, and unemployment.
- Domingos Monteiro was disqualified due to eligibility requirements related to his parents' naturalization status.
Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe are heading to the polls for a presidential election on Sunday, amidst a tense political atmosphere and a lingering constitutional crisis. The nation, an African island state off the west coast, has a reputation for peaceful elections since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975.
Incumbent President Carlos Vila Nova is seeking a second term as an independent candidate, a departure from his 2021 election where he represented the ruling Acção Democrática Independente (ADI) party. Tensions between Vila Nova and his former party escalated in January of the previous year when he dismissed Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada. The subsequent appointments of a replacement prime minister were short-lived, with the current holder, Américo Ramos, taking office later.
Vila Nova faces competition from several candidates, including Nito D’Abreu, the ADI parliamentary leader, and former Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus. Notably, the main opposition party, the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe, is supporting Vila Nova, despite their historical opposition to the ADI. An ADI faction, led by Ramos, is backing D’Abreu.
Businessman Domingos Monteiro, also known as “Nino” and president of the São Toméan Football Federation since 2015, was disqualified from the race by the constitutional court, which ruled he did not meet eligibility requirements due to his parents' naturalization status. Monteiro has criticized the ruling as discriminatory.
For the electorate, pressing issues include combating government corruption, high inflation, severe youth unemployment, chronic fuel shortages, and frequent power blackouts. Rivals of Vila Nova are hoping these challenges will hinder his re-election bid.
São Tomé and Príncipe is considered a key Western ally for security and maritime trade in the Gulf of Guinea, a region known for piracy. The country also possesses offshore oil deposits that contribute significantly to its economy. Observer missions from the European Union, G7+, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries are present to monitor the electoral process.