| Parliament name |
Houses of Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
House of Assembly |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
28 November 2011 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the House of Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
On 6 November 2011, Prime Minister Stephenson King announced that general elections would be held on 28 November.
In the previous elections held in December 2006, the then opposition United Workers Party (UWP), led by Sir John Compton, won 11 seats compared with six for Prime Minister Kenny Anthony's Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP). Mr. Compton - who had governed the country from 1964 to its independence in 1979, and then from 1982 to 1996 - was subsequently sworn in as Prime Minister.
In April 2007, the country re-established diplomatic ties with Taiwan, 10 years after it had switched recognition to China. In May, China suspended its diplomatic ties with St. Lucia.
In September 2007, the Prime Minister passed away and was succeeded by Mr. King. In November, Ms. Jeannie Compton (UWP) won the seat vacated by her father, the late Sir John Compton, becoming the first woman to be elected to parliament in St. Lucia.
The country's economy was severely affected by the global economic crisis started in 2008. It experienced a number of natural disasters, including Hurricane Thomas in October 2010, with damage totalling EC$ 907 million. Unemployment rose to 24.5 per cent (up from 14% in 2006). Prior to the 2011 elections, two UWP parliamentarians - the Deputy Speaker and Ms. Compton - resigned from parliament due to a row over the government's policies.
In July 2011, media reports from Trinidad suggested that Taiwan was spending US$ 3.8 million to help UWP candidates win election, an allegation denied by Taiwan.
Five parties contested the 2011 elections. In all, 52 candidates, including 10 women (19%) - up from three women out of 38 candidates (8%) in 2006 - were vying for seats in the House of Assembly. Ms. Jeannie Compton ran as an independent.
The 2011 elections once again saw a duel between the UWP and the SLP. Both parties focused on job creation.
Prime Minister King's UWP ran on the government's record, stating that despite the global economic crisis and a series of natural disasters, the public debt in terms of gross domestic product grew more slowly under the UWP administration: a 12.8 percentage-point increase between 2006 and 2010, compared to 20.9 points between 2001 and 2006. It pledged to reduce employment and poverty by creating jobs in tourism, information and communications technology, green energy, construction, manufacturing and the agricultural sectors.
The SLP presented its employment activation programme, promising to inject EC$100 million immediately into the economy for job creation and reconstruction activities. It also promised to grant an employment tax credit for new companies that employ at least six people above an annual salary of EC$ 24,000 (about US$ 9,000).
The UWP criticized the appearance of a Dominican attorney (Mr. Astaphan) in the SLP's election campaign, saying he had been engaged by the SLP "to infect the election campaign with blatant lies calculated to deceive and insult the people of St Lucia".
SLP leader Anthony dismissed the criticism, arguing that Mr. Astaphan's involvement in politics was part of deepening exchanges with people across borders.
56.84 per cent of the 151,000 registered voters turned out at the polls.
Observers from the Organization of American States (OAS) stated that the voting had been conducted in a "fluid and peaceful manner" and praised St. Lucians' "commitment to and respect for democracy". It recommended a public debate on the need for legislation on campaign financing, and specifically, rules to prohibit anonymous and foreign contributions.
The SLP won 11 seats compared with six for the UWP, thereby returning to power after six years in opposition. Five Cabinet ministers lost their seats, and Ms. Jeannie Compton failed to retain the seat her father had held over three decades.
On 6 December, Mr. Anthony was sworn in as Prime Minister for a third term.
On 5 January 2012, the newly elected House of Assembly held its first session and elected Mr. Peter I. Foster as the new Speaker.
The Senate, whose members are appointed by the Governor General, was renewed at the same time as the House. Mr. Claudius J. Francis assumed the post of Senate President on the same day. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 28 November 2011 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
150'996
85'821 (56.84%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) |
17 |
42'640 |
|
|
49.68 |
|
|
| United Workers Party (UWP) |
17 |
39'336 |
|
|
45.83 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Gain/Loss |
|
|
|
| Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) |
11
|
5 |
|
|
|
| United Workers Party (UWP) |
6
|
-5 |
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
15
3
16.67%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Note:
The "Distribution of seats" above refers to the 17 directly-elected members. The "Distribution of seats according to sex" refers to all 18 members of the House of Assembly (17 directly-elected members and the Speaker). Mr. Peter I. Foster, who was not one of the directly-elected members, became an ex officio member of the House by virtue of his election as Speaker.
Sources:
http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/govfolks/members_of_the_house_of_assembly.htm
http://www.electoral.gov.lc/past-results/2011-election-results
http://www.electoral.gov.lc/electoral/enrollment-statistics
http://www.electoral.gov.lc/candidates-parties/results |
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
