CAPE VERDE — The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) won an absolute majority in Cape Verde’s May 17 parliamentary elections, securing 37 of the 72 seats in the National Assembly. The party received 48 percent of the national vote, according to results confirmed by Cape Verde’s national electoral commission.

With this victory, the PAICV gains the authority to form a government without requiring coalition partners. Francisco Carvalho, the leader of the PAICV, is positioned to become Cape Verde’s next prime minister. He will succeed Ulisses Correia e Silva, who led the country’s government for ten years.

The electoral commission’s final tally showed the PAICV surpassing its initial projections, which had estimated the party would win 33 seats. The additional four seats solidified the party’s control and ensured a clear legislative mandate.

Cape Verde has maintained a record of peaceful and free elections since 1991, with no history of electoral violence. The country’s democratic stability has continued despite facing persistent economic challenges, including poverty, high youth unemployment, and structural vulnerabilities tied to its status as a small island nation.

The PAICV’s return to power ends a decade of leadership under Correia e Silva’s administration. Carvalho’s incoming government will assume office at a time when Cape Verde must address pressing socioeconomic issues while preserving its democratic institutions and economic resilience.

The PAICV previously governed Cape Verde from 1975 to 2001. Its return to majority status in the National Assembly represents a shift in the legislature’s composition following four terms of opposition status. The 2026 presidential election is scheduled to occur during the new government’s term.