A soldier stands guard outside the presidential palace in Praia, Cape Verde, Thursday, May 7, 2026. -

AP Photo

CapeVerde

Cape Verde’s main opposition party, the PAICV, has won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections, securing 37 of 72 seats and ending a decade of rule by Ulisses Correia e Silva’s government. The victory positions party leader Francisco Carvalho to become the next prime minister.

Cape Verde’s national electoral commission has confirmed that the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) won 37 of 72 seats in the May 17 parliamentary elections, improving on earlier projections of 33 seats.

The party captured 48 percent of the vote, securing an absolute majority and paving the way for its leader, Francisco Carvalho, to become prime minister.

A transition after a decade in power

Carvalho will replace Ulisses Correia e Silva, who led the government for ten years.

The peaceful transition continues Cape Verde’s reputation as a model of democratic stability in Africa, with no history of electoral violence since the country’s first free elections in 1991.

A nation facing social and economic pressures

Despite its political calm, Cape Verde grapples with poverty, youth unemployment, and the vulnerabilities of a small island economy.

The incoming government will face pressure to address these long‑standing challenges.

Presidential race ahead in November

The next major political test comes in November, when voters return to the polls for the presidential election.

Incumbent Jose Maria Neves, backed by the PAICV, is seeking a second five‑year term.

Opposition party PAICV wins election, ends 10 years of ruling power

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