At Monday’s general election on April 28, the United National Congress, led by Kamla Persad-Bisssessar, returned to power after nine and half years out of government. The victory is described as an earthquake as the party never won so many seats.
The UNC as a party never won more than a bare majority of seats. The UNC tied in 1995 with 17 seats and formed the government in a coalition with the NAR that won two seats. The UNC won 19 seats in December 2000, but the government collapsed a year later over corruption allegations and internal dissension, resulting in early elections in December 2001 in which the UNC tied with the PNM at 18 seats each. The UNC leader unwisely with bad advice signed a document authorizing the President to choose the Prime Minister. The President appointed the leader of the PNM to form the government although the incumbent UNC won more votes and was not defeated. The PNM won elections in October 2002 and again in October 2007. Snap elections were called in May 2010. In 2010, the UNC under Kamla’s leadership, won 21 seats and its partners an additional 8 seats, giving the partnership a mandate of 29 seats.
The UNC under Kamla’s leadership governed until September 2015, losing the general elections. The PNM, led by Keith Rowley, won election and re-election in August 2020. Rowley resigned as Prime Minister in mid March 2025, making way for Stuart Young (of Chinese and Indian descent) who led the party into the election as PM. Rowley remains party leader. A convention later this year will decide his replacement.
At Monday’s general election, Rowley did not seek re-election. The PNM had 22 seats going in the election losing nine seats, reducing the party to 13. Even the 13 seats it won, the majority over the UNC partnership was small. In Tobago, the PNM won both seats in 2015 and 2020 and lost both to the newly formed TPP. A recount in a few seats will decide their fate. Speaking at the PNM’s Balisier House headquarters on Monday night, PNM political leader Keith Rowley said: “Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. While tonight there is no rejoicing as we expected to, we are not despondent … .The PNM has demonstrated when we are down, we come back with a vengeance and 2025 will be no different. We wish all winners well because our country is in their hands”.
He added, the PNM will begin from today to “rebuild” in anticipation of the next call to general elections and fulfil its role in the opposition.
He said the General Council will meet Tuesday and elected Members of Parliament will choose who will be Opposition Leader. It could be Penelope Beckles. Rowley also said he will vacate party leadership “as soon as they want me to, so as to facilitate the requisite convention”.
Defeated PM, Stuart Young said, “disappointment was part of life, and called on supporters not to be despondent, adding that he is ready and willing to fight for Trinidad and Tobago”.
All in all, the turnout in the election was very low, enabling the UNC to win comfortably. Preliminary figures show 26 seats for the UNC, 13 for the PNM and two for the TPP; the Tobago West seat is under recount and could go PNM. Stuart Young’s stint as Prime Minister is now the shortest in the country’s history – having served just over five weeks. The PNM failed to impress the electorate for a third consecutive term with widespread dissatisfaction in governance expressed countrywide. The party was oozing touch with its base. And even the seats it won in the heartland was with smaller numbers than in previous elections. For the first time, the UNC and partner OWTU won La Brea and Pt. Fortin, two seats known as PNM heartland strongholds.
Kamla has returned as PM for a second term. She told cheering supporters, “Now that the UNC has won, everybody wins” – the campaign theme or slogan and buzz words. She stated: “After years we spent listening to you … your wants, your needs, your hopes and your desires, it is now that the real work starts”. She promised that from day one, the new UNC Government will focus on delivering on its promises. She is likely to be sworn in as PM on Thursday and shortly thereafter form a cabinet. Her Attorney General is likely to be Devesh Maharaj who won the battleground St. Joseph seat by a comfortable margin.
Former police senior superintendent Roger Alexander, who defeated two times incumbent Esmond Forde in the marginal Tunapuna seat, is expected to be named as Minister of National Security.
