Navin Ramgoolam, leader of the opposition Alliance du Changement (ADC), has been appointed Prime Minister of Mauritius, marking a resounding return to power after a decade away from the post. Ramgoolam’s coalition secured a near-sweep victory in the general election.
Ramgoolam, 77, has previously served three terms as Prime Minister. He wasted no time in outlining his priorities, vowing to dismantle the country's alleged spying system and address the rising cost of living.
"We will also work to put an end to the rising cost of living for the population by better monitoring the value of the rupee, lifting Value Added Tax from basic commodities, and vanquishing nepotism, corruption, and repression," Ramgoolam promised.
The election outcome suggests that incumbent Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth's popularity was significantly undermined by a cost-of-living crisis and allegations of corruption, despite his government's achievement of 7% economic growth last year.
Jugnauth's final act as prime minister was to reach an agreement with Britain to recognize Mauritius' full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, home to the US-UK Diego Garcia air base, after decades of dispute over the territory, which was carved out of Mauritius when it gained independence in 1968.