1991 Mauritian general election

General elections were 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.

1991 Mauritian general election

15 September 1991 (1991-09-15)
All 70 seats in the National Assembly 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Anerood Jugnauth Navin Ramgoolam Party MSM Labour Party Leader since 1983 1991 Leader's seat Piton & Riviere Du Rempart Pamplemousses and Triolet Last election 44 seats 8 seats Seats won 57 3 Seat change 13 5 Popular vote 944,521 670,631 Percentage 55.4% 39.3% Swing 15.4% 16.9%
Prime Minister before election Anerood Jugnauth MSM Subsequent Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth MSM

Campaign

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 MSM-Labour Party coalition broke down in February 1991 because Ramgoolam demanded that the deal between the parties should be reviewed and that the MSM leader, Anerood Jugnauth, should hold the office of Prime Minister for half of the term (two and a half years), with Ramgoolam serving out the remainder of the term. However, Jugnauth did not want to step aside in favour of Ramgoolam. Ramgoolam then announced that his party would contest the elections due September on its own.

Jugnauth proposed an electoral pact with the Mauritian Militant Movement(MMM), the party which Jugnauth himself had formerly led between 1976 and 1983, before the formation of the MSM. The two parties agreed that Anerood Jugnauth would remain Prime Minister for the full term of 5 years and that MMM leader Paul Bérenger would serve in his Cabinet. Bérenger later became Minister of External Affairs.[4]

During the term, Rama Sithanen, Sheila Bappoo and Daram Gockool defected from the MSM to the Mauritian Labour Party. The defections put the MSM under increasing strain, and Jugnauth came under pressure to hold general elections in 1995 rather than 1996, as constitutionally scheduled.

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 constituency

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

References

1. Mauritius: 1991 National Assembly election results EISA
2. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p618 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
3. Dr Ramgoolam Navinchandra, GCSK, FRCP Government of Mauritius
4. Bérenger Paul Raymond, GCSK Government of Mauritius