Election Update 2005: Mauritius

ELECTION UPDATE 2005 MAURITIUS Number 1 17 June 2005

Contents

Election held Earlier than Expected 1 Constitutional and Legal Framework 2 Electoral Commissions 3 Capacity of the Electoral Management Bodies 4 Electoral System 5 Review of Previous Elections 7 Political Parties, Factionalism, Manifestoes and Financing 8 The Media 9 Civil Society 10 Election Conflict Management 11

Compiled by

Amedee Darga

EISA Editorial Team Jackie Kalley, Khabele Matlosa, Denis Kadima

Published with the assistance of the New Zealand Embassy

Elections held Earlier September 2005. As per the days nor more than 30 days than Expected Representation of People Act after the day on which the (1958), as subsequently writ is issued and the day on Mauritius is holding a amended, the President, which a poll is to take place, general election on July 3, acting in accordance with the shall be at least 15 days and 2005 to elect a new advice of the Prime Minister no more than 60 days, after parliament and thereby a shall, for the purpose of the day the nomination of new government. The term electing a new Parliament, candidates is received. of the outgoing government not later than 55 days after a started in September 2000. dissolution of Parliament This means that when the under section 57 of the 2000 – 2005 Parliament The general election is being Constitution, issue a writ of would have naturally been held ahead of normal election directed to the dissolved, on 20 September schedule and at a time of the returning officer of every 2005, there was a maximum incumbent’s choosing. The constituency, specifying the limit of up to 145 days for life of the parliament elected day of the election. Election holding the election, that is in 2000 ends on 11 day shall be not less than 15 up to 3 February 2006. election update 2005 Mauritius number 1

However, as a general rule The government presented election observers to observe elections are never held its national budget in April the election process in between January and the 2005 ahead of the normal Mauritius where, in beginning of April as this time in June and connection with an election, coincides with the cyclonic immediately after approval they have been – season and has a by parliament proceeded (a) designated to do so by concentration of religious with the dissolution. any international or regional festivals. So, one can Parliament was dissolved organisation; and reasonably conclude, it with effect from 24 April (b) with the approval of the would have been normal that 2005 and the President of the Electoral Supervisory the 2005 general election be Republic issued writs of Commission, authorised to held between September and election for the purpose of do so by the Electoral December 2005. electing a new Parliament on Commissioner. 9 May 2005, appointing 30 However, the Prime Minister May 2005 as nomination Political representation at decided to call the general day. The President further both national and local election six months earlier in appointed 3 July 2005, as the government level in order to avoid having to hold day on which the Poll is to Mauritius is through a fully a by-election in a particularly be held. competitive electoral difficult constituency. The process. Political by-election was caused by Constitutional and Legal representation is based on the resignation of a member Framework universal adult suffrage of parliament of the expressed through a secret opposition from constituency The provisions for ballot. The voting age is 18 No. 3. On applying the determining members of years and above. The life of provisions of the parliament, the appointment a parliament is for a Representation of People and functions of electoral maximum of five years. The Act, a by-election would management bodies, the members of the National have become due at the latest determination of election Assembly are elected at a in April 2005, i.e. seven dates and official nomination general election. Sixty-two months before the general of candidates, the members are elected on a election. The government registration of voters, the first past the post basis from feared losing the by-election election management and twenty-one constituencies. which could have a snowball challenge processes, the Additionally, eight other effect for the general mode of election, the mode members are appointed as election, with negative of voting, and the Best Loser members of consequences, especially appointment of additional parliament, thus giving a since it had already lost a by- seats (also known as best national assembly of election in December 2003. losers) are long and well seventy. The appointment is As per the law, the only way established in the made by the Electoral to avoid holding the by- Constitution of Mauritius, Supervisory Commission on election was for government the Representation of People the basis of a mechanism to dissolve parliament before Act 1968, and in the prescribed under the Section the date for the by-election National Assembly 5 of the First Schedule of the was due. As from the time of Regulations 1968 (4th Constitution and in a manner the dissolution, the clock Schedule Act) and 12/68. that ensures adequate starts ticking, as provided for The Representation of representation of the in the law. People Act was amended in officially recognised ethnic 2005 to provide for the first groups without changing the time, for international balance of forces between

2 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 the parties as obtained persons who belong to Electoral Boundaries through direct suffrage. parties other than the most Commission, the Electoral successful party, shall be Supervisory Commission Section 5 (1) of the First ascertained, and so far as is and the Electoral Schedule of the Constitution possible that number of seats Commissioner. states the following: “In (out of the second 4 seats) order to ensure a fair and shall be allocated one by one Section 38 of the adequate representation of to the most successful Constitution stipulates the each community, there shall unreturned candidates (if following regarding the be 8 seats in the Assembly, any) belonging both to the structure of the Electoral additional to the 62 seats for most successful party and to Boundaries Commission and members representing the appropriate community. the Electoral Supervisory constituencies, which shall Where there is no unreturned Commission: so far as is possible be candidate of the appropriate (1) There shall be an allocated to persons community, seats will be Electoral Boundaries belonging to parties who allocated to the most Commission which shall have stood as candidates for successful unreturned consist of a chairman and not election as members at the candidates belonging to the less than two or more than general election but have not most successful party, seven other members been returned as members to irrespective of community. appointed by the President, represent constituencies”. acting in accordance with the The proclamation of the advice of the Prime Minister The term “community” here dissolution of the National which is tendered after the means “ethnic group”. Assembly is done by the latter has consulted the President of the Republic Leader of the Opposition. Section 5 (3) The first 4 of although the choice of the (2) There shall be an the 8 seats shall, so far as is date for dissolution is the Electoral Supervisory possible, each be allocated to prerogative of the Prime Commission which shall the most successful Minister. However, as per consist of a chairperson unreturned candidate, if any, the amendment of the appointed by the President in who is a member of a party Constitution in 1982 and as accordance with the advice and who belongs to the per section 57(2), the of the Judicial and Legal appropriate community, National Assembly is Service Commission and not regardless of which party he automatically dissolved five less than two or more than belongs to. years from the date of the seven other members first sitting. From the date of appointed by the President, “Appropriate community “in dissolution of the National acting in accordance with the the above section means the Assembly, the election advice of the Prime Minister community, which is most process follows a well tendered after the latter has under-represented. The basis established and well consulted the Leader of the for determining the under- rehearsed pattern. Opposition. representation is the 1972 (3) No person shall be population census figure. Electoral Commissions qualified for appointment as a member of the Electoral Section 5 (4) When the first Two bodies and one official Boundaries Commission or 4 seats (or as many as have the constitutional the Electoral Supervisory possible of those seats) have responsibility for the Commission if he is a been allocated, the preparation, management member of, or a candidate number of such seats that and oversight of the election for election to, the Assembly have been allocated to processes. These are the or any local authority or a

3 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 public officer or a local functions relating to the chairman and two to seven government officer. registration and elections as members, all appointed by may be prescribed, and he the President “acting in Section 40 describes the shall keep the Electoral accordance with the advice office of the Electoral Supervisory Commission of the Prime Minister Commissioner: fully informed concerning tendered after the Prime (1) There shall be an the exercise of his functions Minister has consulted the Electoral Commissioner, and shall have the right to leader of the Opposition.”1 whose office shall be a attend meetings of the The Commission may “take public office and who shall Commission and to refer to into account representations be appointed by the Judicial the Commission for their made to it in respect of any and Legal Service advice or decisions regarding proposed alteration of a Commission. any question relating to his boundary and it has to give (2) No person shall be functions. public notice of any qualified to hold or act in the (3) Every proposed Bill and proposed alteration to be office of Electoral every proposed regulation or made and fix the manner in Commissioner unless he is other instrument having the which and the time frame for qualified to practise as a force of law relating to the any representation to be barrister in Mauritius. registration of voters for the made”.2 (3) Without prejudice to election of members to the section 41, in the exercise of Assembly or to the election The electoral process is well his functions under this of such members shall be anchored in electoral law, Constitution, the Electoral referred to the Electoral which is accepted as Commissioner shall not be Supervisory Commission ensuring the autonomy and subject to the direction or and to the Electoral independence of the electoral control of any other person Commissioner at such time management system from all or authority. as shall give them sufficient organs of state and political opportunity to make parties. The legitimacy of the The functions of the comments thereon before the electoral authorities as the Electoral Supervisory Bill is introduced in the managers of the electoral Commission and of the Assembly or, as the case process is unanimously Electoral Commissioner are may be, the regulation or accepted by political parties clarified under section 41: other instrument is made. and all candidates, as well as (1) The Electoral (4) The Electoral its fairness and the Supervisory Commission Supervisory Commission transparency of its activities. shall have general may make such reports to the responsibility for, and shall President concerning the Capacity of the Electoral supervise, the registration of matters under their Management Bodies the electorate for the election supervision, or any draft Bill of members to the Assembly or instrument that is referred The Electoral Commission and the holding of elections to them, as they deem fit and and Electoral Supervisory of these members and the if the Commission so Commission are fully able to Commission shall have such requests in any such report, perform their duties and no powers and other functions other than a report on a draft blame has ever been laid at relating to such registration Bill or instrument, that report their feet. and such elections as may be shall be laid before the prescribed. Assembly.

(2) The Electoral 1 The Constitution of Mauritius Commissioner shall have The Electoral Boundaries section 38 (2) such powers and other Commission consists of a 2 The Electoral Boundaries Commission Regulations 1976

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The Electoral independence is the FPTP Electoral Supervisory Commissioner’s office (First-Past-The-Post) system. Commission on the basis of comprises the Electoral The Mauritius electoral a mechanism prescribed Commissioner, two Chief system however under Section 5 of the First Election Officers, Principal distinguishes itself with two Schedule of the Election officers and 10 unique features. The first is Constitution4. This is done in Election Officers. The Office the division of the country a manner that ensures has a support service of into twenty constituencies in adequate representation of about one hundred which each voter has to vote the officially recognised secretaries, clerks, for three candidates. The ethnic groups without messengers and other three candidates who receive changing the balance of administrative. The staff is the most votes are elected. forces between the parties as housed in the main office in The choice of which three obtained through direct the capital city of Port Louis. candidates to vote for is left suffrage. A sub office in the island of open to the voter and no Rodrigues is used when block party vote is legally The best loser system has elections are held. The staff imposed. The second been challenged by a small is generally considered to be distinguishing feature is extra parliamentary party, adequate for undertaking the what is known as the Best Lalit, and by some in the activities of Office. Loser System (BLS) as elite on the basis that it explained earlier. This institutionalises ethnicity as The main officers are based system has worked well in a political instrument. This in the capital city, Port terms of its own stability and challenge is however not yet Louis. The Electoral the stability of the elected emerged as a mainstream Commission uses governments, and provided debate. Although some of government primary schools conditions for the the dominant political parties and social welfare centres on establishment of an often are of the opinion that the a part time basis for the fragile yet sustainable system should be done away updating of electoral democracy in an ethnically with in the context of a registers and the holding of diverse society. reformed electoral system elections. The officers are which would provide the well equipped in terms of Thus sixty-two members are same safeguard BLS is basic infrastructure. The elected on a First-Past-The- supposed to ensure, none has Commission has been Post (FPTP) or rather First- ventured officially to adequately computerised and Three-Past-The-Post3 basis, propose its elimination in the has for the first time released from twenty constituencies fear that it would be electoral registers on on the Island of Mauritius perceived as being against CDROM. and two elected members minority representation. from the Island of In election years, adequate Rodrigues. Additionally, The electoral system of first provision is made in the eight other members are past the post has been national budget for financial appointed to Parliament challenged by most resources to be provided to through the best loser dominant parties, the electoral management system, thus giving a particularly when they are bodies. national assembly of out of government. The seventy. The appointment of challenge relates to the Electoral system the best losers is done by the unfair nature of the system

The electoral system that has 3 H. Mathur (1991), Parliament in 4 been used in Mauritius since Mauritius, Editions de L'Ocean http://ncb.intnet.mu/assembly/cons Indien, p. 32 ti/index.htm

5 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 where there is a large degree and in 1995 the result was disproportionately low with of disproportional 60-0, while in 1991 and the respect to the percentage of representation between the year 2000 the presence of the votes earned. Table 1 below percentage of votes and Opposition in parliament lists election results for the number of seats obtained in barely reached significant last three elections and parliament. Thus, in 1982 levels, and was illustrates this point.

Table 1: An overview of elections' results from 1991 to 2000 1991 1995 2000 Parties % Parties % Parties % Seats Seats Seats (Alliances) Votes (Alliances) Votes (Alliances) Votes MSM/MMM/ Government MSM/MMM 57 56.28 Labour/MMM 60 66.22 PMSD/Les Verts 54 52.30 4 B.L Labour/PMSD 3 39.95 PGD 1 B.L Labour/ 6 36.95 Opposition 4 B.L Hizbullah 1 B.L PMXD 2 B.L MSM-RMM 0 28 Rodrigues OPR 2 65.93 OPR 2 41.98 OPR 2 51.15 Mouvement 2 B.L Mouvement 2 B.L Reps. Rodriguais Rodriguais Total 66 66 70 Note: BL means Best Losers

Although there is widespread • shunning overtly number of representations acceptance of the necessity communal (ethnic) from political parties and to correct the gross over- or parties. other civil society under-representation of stakeholders were received parties produced by the The present electoral system by the commission. In electoral system, there has has delivered well on the accordance with the views of been no agreement between first, fourth, sixth and the general public, the them on the best solution. seventh points, but not on the submissions agreed upon: other criteria. • The need to introduce

The characteristics of a good a carefully carved eligibility electoral system for a plural In 2000 the MMM-MSM threshold of 10% to reduce society such as Mauritius are alliance pledged, in their the danger of too much clearly understood by all as: electoral manifesto, to factionalism and to reduce change the electoral system. • ensuring government the likelihood of ethnically Having won the election, the stability, based parties from emerging. MMM-MSM government set • • Favouring a mixed guaranteeing fairness to up a Commission on parties in terms of FPTP/PR system rather than Constitutional and Electoral representation in replacement of FPTP by a Reform in 2001, hereinafter parliament, full PR. referred to as the Sachs • promoting gender and Commission, named after the After examining five diverse representation, chairperson of that • different models and encouraging Commission, Judge Albie accountable concluding that “no single Sachs from South Africa to model meets all the government, look into the reforms • increasing voter choice, requirements in an required. unqualified manner”, the • maintaining constituency links The issue of fairness of Commission recommended: between MPs and their representation was the constituents, and centrepiece of the Sachs The maintenance of 62 seats Commission mandate. A (20 constituencies x 3 members + one constituency

6 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 x 2 members) to be returned Sachs report to ensure a contested by coalitions on the basis of the present better gender balance was formed prior to the elections. FPTP system, and that in also not carried further. The addition there shall be a country in the SADC region It must be understood that further 30 members chosen which has the lowest level of while elections have usually on the basis of lists provided women participation in been a competition between by parties receiving more parliament and cabinet is two alliances or coalitions, than 10% of the national Mauritius. the configurations of these vote. Such lists will be in alliances or coalitions have descending rank of The Sachs report suggested continually shifted. What has eligibility. They will be that the under representation remained a permanent published in advance of of women can best be feature is the politics of elections and may contain a addressed through reform of alliance formation itself. restricted number of names the electoral system by of persons standing for adopting a mixed PR system, 1976: Emergence of MMM constituencies (should such but further highlighted that The general election of 1976 persons in fact end up being “the major responsibility for was a three cornered fight as constituency members correcting the massive between the ruling Labour then their names on the list gender imbalance rests with Party (LP), the PMSD and would be disregarded). The the parties”5. The the MMM. After allocation objective of the lists is to Commission pointed out that of the best loser seats, the ensure that the final totals of there are a number of MMM had 34, the LP 28 and seats held by the different measures that could be the PMSD 8. The LP and the parties reflect more introduced with relative ease PMSD formed a coalition accurately the support that for progress to be made on government, but the MMM the parties have received in that front. had become the largest party. the nationally. The lists will be structured to secure Review of Previous 1982: Defeat of Ramgoolam greater representation of Elections For the 1982 general election women and to provide the the LP and the PMSD reassurance formerly ensured Mauritius is holding its formed an alliance. That by the Best Loser System. seventh general election election saw an since independence in 1968. overwhelming defeat of the In other words, the Sachs Elections have been held in LP-PMSD alliance at the Report proposed doing away 1976, 1982, 1983, 1987, hands of the MMM in with the Best Loser System. 1991, 1995 and 2000. alliance with the smaller This was not acceptable to Parti Socialiste Mauricien some parties. All these elections have been (PSM); the MMM-PSM fought between two alliance won all the seats As agreement could not even coalitions of parties, except contested. The PSM was a be reached between two of in 1976 when a three- new party created by former the partners in the ruling cornered contest emerged LP members. Sir alliance, the reform of the and a coalition was formed Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, electoral system has been after the election to who had been the Prime shelved and the present 2005 constitute the government. Minister since independence, elections shall be run on the The other six elections were was defeated. same FPTP system as before. 1983: Ethnicity resurgences With the shelving of the 5 Report of the Commission on The MMM/PSM formed a reform the proposals of the Constitutional and Electoral new government with Reform 2001/2002, page 28

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Anerood Jugnauth (the 1982/83 and in the 1990/91 2003 to the end of the president of the MMM) as MSM-MMM governments. electoral mandate in 2005. Prime Minister, and Paul For the first time in its Berenger (the secretary 1995: Defeat of the history then, Mauritius shall general) as minister of incumbent then have a non Hindu as finance. A major split In 1993 the governing prime minister. occurred in the government coalition between the MMM in 1983. Paul Berenger and MSM broke up. Sir Results of the three latest resigned, taking the bulk of Anerood Jugnauth continued previous elections are given the MMM with him, while as Prime Minister and the in Table 1. the Prime Minister and a MMM went into opposition number of MMM dissidents again. A new party, the Political Parties, formed a new party, the Mauritius Militant Renewal Factionalism, Manifestos, MSM (Mouvement Socialist (RMM), was formed by a and Party Financing Militant). Jugnauth then group that split away from called fresh elections for the MMM, which supported The two main blocks that later in the year. The split the MSM government. In will contest the present was highly loaded with 1995 the MMM in alliance elections are almost the same ethnic undertones and the with the LP defeated the as for the 2000 elections, electoral campaign saw the MSM-RMM alliance. Sir except for two factors. The resurgence of ethnicity as a Anerood Jugnauth stood first is that two parties, the factor in Mauritian politics. down as prime minister and MR and Les Verts, which The Hindu electorate largely Navin Ramgoolam, son of were part of the MSM- rallied around the MSM and late Sir Seewoosagur MMM alliance in 2000 and the LP, while the MMM Ramgoolam, took his place. in the ruling coalition in mainly retained the support parliament and government, of the general population, 2000: Return of Jugnauth, left the alliance and joined Muslims, Tamil and Marathi agreement to share the the opposition alliance. The voters. The MSM in prime minister’s post second is that the MSM no coalition with the LP and the Half way through its term of longer has the strong PMSD won the elections and government the MMM-LP leadership of Sir Aneerood MMM sat in the opposition coalition broke up. Navin Jugnauth, who is now the benches. Ramgoolam continued as President of the Republic. prime minister and the The party is led by his son, 1992: Mauritius becomes a MMM went into opposition. Pravind Jugnauth whose republic In 2000, the MMM and abilities as leader have not In 1990 the MSM dismissed MSM contracted an alliance, yet been fully established in its partners, the LP and won the subsequent election the eyes of many. PMSD and formed a new and formed the new coalition with the MMM. government. Sir Anerood The ruling alliance: MMM- The MSM-MMM coalition Jugnauth returned as prime MSM-PMSD won all of the seats in the minister with Paul Berenger MMM – The Mouvement following election. In 1992 as deputy prime minister and Militant Mauricien whose legislation was passed minister of finance. One of leader, Paul Berenger, is the declaring Mauritius a the central conditions of the outgoing prime minister. He republic within the alliance was an agreement to has been presented as the Commonwealth. The first share the post of prime future prime minister for the president elected by minister. In term of this Paul first two and a half years if parliament, Cassam Uteem, Berenger was to hold the the alliance is returned to had been a minister in the position from September government.

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Les Verts – whose leader, the incumbent alliance may MSM – The Mouvement Sylvio Michel, was a be able to benefit from funds Socialiste Militant whose minister in the ruling received from corrupt leader, Pravind Jugnauth, is alliance. He left the alliance practices while in office. the deputy prime minister in 2004, claiming that the and minister of finance. He alliance would not honour its As far as the private sector is has been presented as the pledge to seriously examine concerned, the question of prime minister designate to the issue of compensation for funding has been raised from take over from Berenger for slavery. the perspective of Good the last two and a half years Corporate Governance. The in the next parliament. Party manifestoes Joint Economic Council, It is expected that a number which is a private sector PMSD – The Parti of other parties will field umbrella organization, has Mauricien Social Democrate candidates for the elections. issued official guidelines is a minority partner with Parties have not yet made calling on its members to only one seat in the outgoing public their political formally disclose to whom parliament and one candidate manifestoes, although the they are making donations in for the coming elections. ruling alliance has published and the amounts involved in its rallying slogan, “Progress their financial records. The challenging Social must continue”. It is Alliance: LP-PMXD-MSM- campaigning on the basis As in previous elections the MR-Les Verts. that it achieved more in its private sector will be the LP – The Labour Party term than the LP in its 1995- main funding source for whose leader, Dr Navin 2000 mandate. The LP parties. While some Ramgoolam, has been slogan is “Change is companies will fund parties presented as the future Prime needed”. of their preference, the Minister if the Social dominant practice is for Alliance wins. Party funding companies to give to both Party funding remains a grey contenders. Donations may PMXD – The Parti area. In its report the Sachs be of different amounts to Mauricien Xavier Duval Commission proposed the different parties, depending whose leader, Xavier Duval, public funding of political on the firm’s evaluation of is the son of the late Gaetan parties but, as the report has the relative strengths of the Duval, leader of the second not been implemented, the parties and of their chances largest post independence matter has remained as of winning. party. before. Parties will mobilize their funding on an informal The Media MMSM – The Mouvement basis from funds Militant Socialiste Mauricien accumulated through The written media is a 130- whose leader, Madan donations during their term year-old institution in Dulloo, broke away from the in government or from Mauritius. Today, the MSM in the early nineties. current private sector country has over thirty daily funding. The incumbent and weekly publications. MR – The Mouvement alliance has no access, Mauritius has a newspaper whether officially or circulation level of 74 for Republicain was in the ruling 6 alliance in 2000 but shifted unofficially, to public 1,000 inhabitants . allegiance in 2002. The financial or material Ownership of publications is leader is Rama Valayden. resources for its political dispersed among a number activities. Some commentators alleged that 6 World Statistics Pocketbook, United Nations New York 1997

9 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 of different individuals and while others are clearly radio stations that are now local press groups. Two big supportive of one or other of fully operational. An groups control several the contenders. Independent Broadcasting publications that are viewed Authority (IBA) acts as the as independent of the state, There is one public regulatory body which but they are editorially television and one radio supervises them. These restrained by regard to the station operating under the private radio stations will major advertising revenue Mauritius Broadcasting Act undoubtedly be a potent coming from such quarters. (1982). The monopoly on force in these elections. The Some newspapers are radio has been broken since radios run call-in talk shows aligned to certain religious or March 2002, but television where the public can air their socio-cultural groups, while remains a state monopoly. A views on matters of public others are close to particular national survey7 carried out interest, debates between political parties. Only one in 2002 showed that 58.3 per politicians, political newspaper declares itself an cent of the general public interviews and similar items. organ of a particular party. considered that public mass These programs have a wide Readers are in any case media and other public audience and could certainly mature enough to resources as being less have a bigger impact than differentiate between the accessible to opposition the traditional political party different newspapers. parties than they are to the rallies. To date the radio ruling parties during stations have been relatively During the state of elections. Successive well balanced in the emergency from 1971 to regimes have used public exposure given to the 1976 the fundamental rights television to broadcast their different political and liberties found in the own political propaganda. contenders. Constitution were The situation is no different suspended. In 1984 the for the coming elections. Civil Society Newspaper and Periodicals However, formal political Act of 1837 was amended broadcast is well codified The Mauritian public is with a view to tightening and time allocation is highly educated and closely control of the press by worked out in consultation follows public affairs and imposing very high licensing with stakeholders. Time political activities as well as deposits. However since allocation is based on two the debates around them. It is 1990 these amendments have criteria, namely the number said that politics is the been repealed and there are of seats held in the outgoing country’s most popular sport. no legal hindrances on the parliament and the number However in the recent years, press other than those limits of candidates fielded. The there has been growing placed by civil and criminal main parties are generally despondency and cynicism law with regard to satisfied with the time with respect to politicians defamation, libel, sedition, allocation, but smaller extra- and the established political spreading false news or parliamentary parties are parties. There is a long publishing pornographic marginalized by this deal. tradition of organized civil material. society activity in Mauritius. A new feature of the Organised civil society has In effect, the written media elections is the emergence in evolved and become more has a role as the fourth locus March 2002 of three private diversified in areas of of power. All newspapers interest. The militancy of report daily on the political 7 women’s rights organisations Survey carried out for the Study campaign. Some give more on the State of Good Governance played a critical role in the or less balanced opinions in Mauritius, StraConsult, for progress that has been UNECA.

10 election update 2005 Mauritius number 1 achieved on that front. In There is no established terms of advocacy and official mechanism to deal lobbying activities, ‘socio- with election related conflict. cultural’ (a euphemism for Any possible conflict arising ethnic based organizations) from non observance of laws are the most active. In these are dealt with by the regular elections such groups are the law courts. All stakeholders most active, although have full confidence in the recently some women’s efficiency and effectiveness organizations have been very of the judiciary. Minor active in advocating greater clashes between activists are inclusion of women on the dealt with at constituency party lists. A recently created level by candidates through students’ organization has dialogue between the emerged, albeit as yet opposing parties. At national marginally, as a voice level there is a general tacit pronouncing on political agreement for leaders and questions. campaign managers to talk to one another. Foreign donors are not very active in Mauritius and their At the time elections were financial support is primarily announced the Prime directed towards a few Minister appealed for charitable organizations. peaceful elections and Except for Transparency announced that he was International, there are no opening up a line of CSOs involved in democracy communication with the or governance advocacy Leader of the Opposition to funded by foreign donors. ensure violent incidents are minimised and effectively There are no CSOs involved managed. in civic or voter education since democratic practice is The political campaigning well established in Mauritius for the 2005 elections was and the need for them is not launched with two large felt. political rallies by the two main contending forces on Election Conflict May Day. Management

Although scattered clashes between activists may occur levels of political violence have generally been extremely low since the nineties and have declined progressively from one election to the other.

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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of EISA