Cape Verde presidential election could produce first female president

Cape Verde holds a presidential election on Sunday that could produce the country’s first female president. Former Justice Minister Joana Rosa, backed by the opposition Movement for Democracy, challenges incumbent José Maria Neves, who is seeking a second term.

The candidates and the vote

Six candidates are competing. If no candidate receives more than half the votes, a runoff is scheduled for Nov. 29. Rosa is the first woman to run for president since Cape Verde became independent from Portugal in 1975. Women have held senior cabinet posts, but the country has never had a female prime minister or president.

Neves won the 2021 election with about 52% of the vote. His African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, known as PAICV, won a parliamentary majority in May, ending a decade of government led by the Movement for Democracy. PAICV secured 37 of the 72 parliamentary seats, allowing the party to form a government under Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho.

The role and the stakes

In Cape Verde’s parliamentary system, the prime minister directs government policy and holds most executive authority. The president’s role is largely symbolic, although the directly elected head of state can veto legislation.

Rosa has centered her campaign on maintaining a balance of power, arguing that the country needs a counterweight to PAICV, which backs Neves and controls the government and most municipalities. A Rosa victory would again put the presidency and government in rival political camps. Rosa has criticized the concentration of political power and promised to attract foreign investment. Employment opportunities and migration have emerged as central issues during the campaign. Rosa warned that the continued departure of young Cape Verdeans in search of opportunities abroad was undermining the country’s development.

Neves has pledged to build cross-party support to improve housing, healthcare and education, create jobs and raise wages. He has also promised to focus his second term on inclusive economic growth, better wages and opportunities for young people.

Voters and context

The Atlantic island nation off West Africa is home to about half a million people and has a record of peaceful transfers of power and competitive elections. Nearly 77,000 Cape Verdeans abroad are registered to vote, almost a fifth of the total electorate.

Roselma Évora, a professor of political science and gender studies at the University of Cabo Verde, said many voters feel distant from their leaders and want a president who understands their daily difficulties. She said limited economic prospects were driving young people to seek opportunities abroad, and that incumbency gives Neves greater visibility, including among overseas voters. Évora described the society as remaining “very patriarchal” and said Rosa’s candidacy challenges traditional expectations of women’s roles.

Rosário Luz, a Cape Verde-based writer, said party loyalties mattered more than Rosa’s gender. “We have a lot of women in politics, but we don’t have the policies for women that we should have,” she said. Women carry much of the financial responsibility for their households in Cape Verde, but government policies have failed to address that burden, Luz said.

Why it matters

The election could make Joana Rosa Cape Verde’s first female president and would place the presidency and government in rival political camps if she wins.

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Sources

• france24.com: Cape Verde could make election history with first female president - France 24
• bozemandailychronicle.com: Cape Verde could elect first woman president since gaining independence in 1975
• record-eagle.com: Cape Verde could elect first woman president since gaining independence in 1975 | Ap | record-eagle.com
• arise.tv: Cape Verde’s First Female Presidential Challenger Takes On Incumbent In Sunday’s Election – Arise News

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.