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Former Prime Minister Josia Maria Neves won the presidency in the first round because his main rival admitted defeat.
Opposition candidate and former prime minister Jose Maria Neves wins Cape Verde President election On Sunday, as his main rival, the standard bearer of the ruling party, Carlos Vega, admitted defeat.
Nevis, 61, served as prime minister from 2000 to 2016. After the COVID-19 pandemic plunged the Atlantic islands into a deep recession, he will inherit the responsibility of stabilizing the tourism-driven economy of the Atlantic islands.
President Jorge Carlos Fonseca stepped down after completing up to two five-year terms allowed by the constitution.
According to the official results of 99.4% of the polling stations, Neves received 51.7% of the votes, ahead of Vega’s 42.4%. The other five candidates have a win rate of less than 2%.
Vega served as prime minister from 1991 to 2000 and represented Fonseca’s center-right democratic movement (MpD), which admitted defeat late Sunday.
He said in a statement: “The wishes of the people have been heard, and the wishes of the people have been met.” “I want to congratulate Jose Maria on his election as President of the Republic.”
Neves, of the left-wing African Cape Verdean Independence Party (PAICV), said he wants to be a president who “unites, protects and cares.”
He told his supporters: “I must say that presiding over the Cape Verdean country in these difficult times is a great responsibility, and I won this victory with my usual humility.”
The transfer of power will be the fourth transfer of power between MpD and PAICV since independence from Portugal in 1975, consolidating Cape Verde’s status as one of the most stable democracies in Africa.
After the party maintains its parliamentary majority in the April elections, Neves will have to cooperate with the prime minister from MpD.
His first challenge will be the economy, which will shrink by 14% in 2020 because the border closures caused by the pandemic have made Cape Verde’s beaches and mountains inaccessible to tourists. It is expected to rebound this year, with an increase of nearly 6%.
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