May 4th Appointment for 400,594 Municipal Voters

On May 4, 2025, a significant event is set to take place as 400,594 registered voters from five major cities are called to the polls for municipal elections. This occasion marks the first local elections since June 14, 2015, which were delayed twice under the previous government led by Pravind Jugnauth.

The electoral commission is facing a crucial challenge: to successfully tally the votes once the polling stations close.

There are 124 voting centers spread across 30 wards, with the largest centers located in Quatre-Bornes.

Hurrylall Chooroomoney G.S. has 9,363 registered voters, while Louis Nellan “A” G.S. has 8,546 registrants.

Furthermore, around twenty additional centers across the five cities each have more than 5,000 registered voters.

As the opposition navigates its internal divisions, discussions are ongoing regarding a strategic plan to capitalize on this electoral opportunity.

With 10 years since the last municipal elections, the current circumstances have prompted the government, known as the Alliance of Change, to adjust its electoral timeline to accommodate various important religious observances this early in the year.

Events such as Thaipoosam Cavadee, the Maha Shivaratree pilgrimage, the Ramadan fast leading up to Eid-ul-Fitr, and the Easter Lent influenced the decision to postpone the elections that were initially planned immediately after the national celebrations of March 12.

The Nomination Day has been scheduled for Saturday, April 5, and popular consultations are anticipated shortly after May Day on May 1, a period which may also see political gatherings.

This timeline is especially significant as it will precede the introduction of the first budget by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Navin Ramgoolam, which will outline the government’s proposed changes and reforms.

Within the political parties forming the Alliance of Change, discussions are ongoing to finalize their participation in the municipal elections.

Broadly speaking, the Labour Party is expected to consolidate control over Vacoas/Phoenix and Quatre-Bornes, while the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) is likely to dominate the municipality of Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill, with a shared arrangement in the capital city of Port-Louis.

The New Democrats, led by Richard Duval, are eyeing a potential victory in Curepipe, with the MMM also poised to play a significant role.

Rezistans & Alternativ, which previously campaigned for Kugan Parapen’s candidacy in the last legislative elections, is preparing to make its mark in the municipal councils following the May 4 vote.

As the Nomination Day on April 5 approaches, partners within the Alliance of Change will align on the most viable strategy for distributing the 120 positions available, which include 32 for the capital, 24 for Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill, 20 for Quatre-Bornes, 24 for Vacoas/Phoenix, and 20 for Curepipe.

New Opposition Faces Challenges Ahead of Upcoming Municipal Elections

The most pressing challenge for the opposition is the fragmentation of the Alliance Lepep that occurred after their defeat.

The Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), led by Xavier-Luc Duval, has distanced itself from the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) led by Pravind Jugnauth, creating a political rift.

Tensions between the opposition leader, Joe Lesjongard, president of the MSM, and Adrien Duval from the PMSD—who was re-elected via a Best Loser seat—are palpable within the National Assembly, leading to a strained working relationship.

A recent criticism from Adrien Duval regarding the silence of former Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy on the economic situation only deepened these tensions, as Padayachy was a key figure in the previous government.

As the year begins, the sentiment within the MSM suggested a commitment to remain actively engaged in politics, despite Lesjongard’s solitary voice often struggling to resonate in parliament.

Political observers note the MSM’s reaction regarding the level of foreign currency reserves at the Bank of Mauritius as a clear indication that they intend to remain politically relevant.

Same-Day Vote Counting on the Table

For the upcoming municipal elections, the MSM can rely on some political visibility due to Pravind Jugnauth’s previous election as a municipal councilor in Vacoas/Phoenix.

The political landscape is further complicated by the Platform Militan, led by Steven Obeegadoo, which is looking to assert itself in Curepipe.

Meanwhile, the Mouvman Patriotik, led by Alan Ganoo, is also eager to carve out a niche within the municipalities.

The discontent stemming from Ganoo’s sacrifices for the PMSD, including the recent sidelining of Tania Diolle in Belle-Rose/Quatre-Bornes to favor Duval, remained unresolved.

As the April 5 Nomination Day approaches, the opposition recognized the importance of municipal elections in consolidating its presence, especially considering that four out of ten voters fall within the urban electorate.

The history of the June 14, 2015 elections served as a reminder of the challenges ahead, as that cycle saw the Alliance Lepep dominate in city politics.

The upcoming municipal elections carry significant implications for regional democracy.

There are indications that various stakeholders—from the Electoral Commission to the Government House—are considering a return to “same day counting,” a concept that failed to take off during the November 10, 2014 legislative elections.

Consultations in the coming days will be essential to review logistical arrangements and amendments related to vote counting immediately after polls close.

Coordination Is Key

A critical requirement for smooth operations during the elections will be moving the closing time of polling stations forward by at least one hour, setting it at 5 PM instead of 6 PM.

This adjustment will necessitate effective deployment of personnel under the supervision of the Electoral Commission.

Past experiences from the village elections held on November 22, 2020, are expected to provide valuable insights in this regard.

It would be preferred for counting to occur at one of the 124 voting centers in the five major cities, thereby eliminating the need for the transport of ballot boxes under police escort.

However, transparency in coordinating results from the various centers will be imperative.

The distribution of the 400,504 registered voters across the municipalities reveals critical demographics.

Based on a preliminary review of the Electoral Commission’s registers, two centers stand out: Hurrylall Chooroomoney G.S. with 9,363 registered voters and Louis Nellan “A” G.S. with 8,547 in Quatre-Bornes.

Moreover, around twenty additional voting centers each have over 5,000 registered voters:

• Pointe-aux-Sables G.S.: 6,270 (Port-Louis Ward I)
• Emmanuel Anquetil G.S.: 5,997 (Port-Louis Ward VI)
• Port-Louis North SSS: 7,094 (Port-Louis Ward VIII)
• And several others, demonstrating varying levels of engagement across the municipalities.

Conversely, several polling stations have fewer than 1,000 voters, indicating that counting could be completed swiftly after polls close.

The breakdown of the 400,504 voters in these cities includes:

• Port-Louis: 114,275 voters (32 council seats)
• Vacoas/Phoenix: 88,519 voters (24 council seats)
• Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill: 77,492 voters (24 council seats)
• Quatre-Bornes: 60,446 voters (20 council seats)
• Curepipe: 59,862 voters (20 council seats)

Source: Le Mauricien