Mauritian general election, 1991

Mauritius

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General elections was held in Mauritius on 15 September 1991.[1] Three main parties gained seats in this election: the Militant Socialist Movement, Mauritian Militant Movement and the Labour Party. The MSM formed an alliance with the MMM and the Labour party formed an alliance with the Mauritian Social Democrat Party (PMSD). On 17 September 1991, results showed that MSM-MMM won 57 seats out of 60 elected seats.[2] This gave 95% of seats to MSM-MMM leader Anerood Jugnauth and 5% to Labour Party-PMSD leader Navin Ramgoolam.

Contents

Parties and leaders

The main political parties taking part in the elections were the Militant Socialist Movement and Labour Party which were the current government, and the Mauritian Militant Movement which was the current opposition party. Earlier that year, Navin Ramgoolam[3] became the leader of the Labour Party. As a result, the coalition of the MSM-Labour Party broke because Ramgoolam demanded that the deal between the parties should be reviewed. He then demanded to the leader of the MSM party, Anerood Jugnauth, that he should be allowed to hold the office of Prime Minister for half of the term (2.5 years). The rest would then be led by the second leader. However, Jugnauth did not want to step down in front of Ramgoolam. As a result, the party coalition broke in February 1991 and Navin Ramgoolam announced that his party will be going alone for government elections that year in September .

MSM-MMM Coalition

Jugnauth initiated the idea of joining hands with the other major leader Paul Bérenger before the elections. Jugnauth, who was the leader of the Mauritian Militant Movement(MMM) between 1976 to 1983 before the formation of the Militant Socialist Movement(MSM), teamed up with former colleague, leading to the MSM forming an alliance with the MMM.

It was decided that MSM leader Anerood Jugnauth would remain Prime Minister for the full term of 5 years and MMM leader Paul Bérenger would become a Minister. Berenger later became Minister of External Affairs.[4]

It was the first time that the MMM and the MSM joined hands together after the famous break up of the two leaders. Notably, before Jugnauth became the leader of the MSM, he was member & leader of MMM while Berenger was President of MMM.They were both in same party and had won the famous 60-0 elections of 1982 with the leader of the PSM party, Harish Boodhoo. However, the team broke up in 1983 and Jugnauth was voted out of the party by all members of the MMM. With the formation of the MSM in 1983, Anerood Jugnauth became member & leader the same year. He joined hands with the previous Mauritian Labour Party leader, Sir Satcam Boolel, and ousted the MMM party out of government thus making Paul Bérenger become the leader of the Opposition.

MSM Members

With the continuous reign of Jugnauth of 10 years, after 3 mandates many members were worried. Jugnauth was seen to be unbeatable until then and no one was allowed to hold the office of Prime Minister in any kind of coalition. Sir Anerood always insisted that his coalitions would be led by him only.

Many members of the MSM left the party during the term and went to the Mauritian Labour Party in hope of political freedom. Rama Sithanen, Sheila Bappoo and Daram Gockool were members that did this and became ministers of the government led by Navin Ramgoolam and due to this, Jugnauth was under pressure to held general elections in 1995 instead of 1996.

Results

Party Votes % Seats
Constituency Best-loser Total
MSM-MMM-MTD 944,521 55.4 57 0 57
Labour Party-MSDP 670,631 39.3 5 4 9
Rodrigues People's Organisation 16,080 0.9
Socialist Workers' Front 12,162 0.7 0 0 0
Rodrigues People's Grouping 11,646 0.7 0 0 0
Liberal Action Party 6,053 0.4 0 0 0
Mauritian People's Party 5,696 0.3 0 0 0
Militant Workers Party 2,137 0.1 0 0 0
Socialist Movement of the South 686 0.0 0 0 0
Communist Party of Mauritius 358 0.0 0 0 0
Mauritius Party Rights 243 0.0 0 0 0
Tamil Fraternity of Mauritius 191 0.0 0 0 0
Mauritius United Party 160 0.0 0 0 0
People's Democratic Party 121 0.0 0 0 0
Independents 30,005 1.8 0 0 0
Total 1,706,240 100 62 4 66
Source: Nohlen et al, EISA

By consituency

Constituency Elected MPs Party Alliance Religion!
1 LACLÉ, Mathieu Ange BOULLE
Edouard JérômeLARIDON
ARMANCE, Georges Alain
MSM-MMM Christians
2 JEEWAH, Ahmad Sulliman ASGARALLY
Abdool Azize
LEE CHEONG LEM, Noe Ah-Qwet
MSM-MMM Muslim
Chinese
3 Cassam Uteem
GENDOO, Osman
KHODABUX, Bashir Ahmud
MSM-MMM Muslim
4 BRIZMOHUN, Parmanund
ARUNASALOM, José
GENEVIEVE, Claude Raymond
MSM-MMM Hindu
Christian
5 Navin Ramgoolam
JHURRY, Jyaneshwur
KOONJOO, Premdut
Labor Party-MSDP
MSM-MMM
MSM/MSM
Hindu
6 FOKEER, Dharmanand Goopt,
DULLOO, Madan Murlidhar
PARSURAMAN Armoorgum
MSM-MMM Hindu
7 Sir Anerood Jugnauth
GUNGAH, Dwarkanath
UTCHANAH, Mahyendrah
MSM-MMM Hindu
8 Ashok Jugnauth
MOUTIA, Sutyadeo
PYNEEANDEE, Retnon
MSM-MMM Hindu
9 BACHOO, Anil Kumar
GUTTEE, Rajnarain
NEEWOOR, Roodrashen
MSM-MMM Hindu
10 JADDOO, Ramduthsing
GOBURDHUN, Jagdishwar
PEERUN, Mohammud Zeelannee
MSM-MMM Hindu
Hindu
Muslim
11 BOOLELL, Arvin
DAYAL, Bharat Bhusan,
LALLAH, Subhas Chandra
Labor Party-MSDP
MSM-MMM
Hindu
12 BUNWAREE, Dr. Vasant Kumar
COLLENDAVELLOO, Ivan Leslie
CHOONEE, Mookhesswur
Labor Party-MSDP
MSM-MMM
Hindu
Christian
Hindu
13 AUMEER, Hurreeprem
NABABSING, Paramhamsa
KASENALLY Ahmud
MSM-MMM Hindu
Muslim
14 GANOO, Alan
COMARMOND, Claude Francis Germain
PHOKEER, Sooroojdev
MSM-MMM Hindu
Christian
Hindu
15 OBEEGADOO, Louis Steven
SEETARAM, Iswurdeo
SOODHUN, Showkutally
MSM-MMM Christian
Hindu
Muslim
16 BAPPOO, Sheilabai
GOKHOOL, Dharambeer
Karl Offmann
MSM-MMM Hindu
Hindu
Christian
17 DARGA, Louis Amédée
SAUZIER, Philippe Epaminondas Gaston Maxime
TEELOCK, Sanjit Kumar
MSM-MMM Christian
Hindu
18 RUHEE, Keertee Coomar
Rama Sithanen
GLOVER, Michael James Kevin
MSM-MMM Hindu
Christian
19 CUTTAREE, Jaya Krishna
DE LESTRAC, Jean Claude Gervais Raoul
Paul Bérenger
MSM-MMM Hindu
Christian
20 BHAGWAN, Rajesh Anand
MINERVE, Marie Therèse Joceline
FINETTE, Jean Régis
MSM-MMM Hindu
Christian
Source: Government of Mauritius

References

  1. ^ Election Results Government of Mauritius
  2. ^ Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p618 ISBN 0198296452
  3. ^ Bio-data of Dr The Honourable Navinchandra Ramgoolam, GCSK Government of Mauritius
  4. ^ Bio-data of Honourable Paul Raymond Bérenger G.C.S.K, MP Government of Mauritius