Opposition NDP party claims victory in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Elections News

New Democratic Party ousts longtime Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who has served in office since 2001.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is set for a change in leadership for the first time in more than two decades, with opposition leader Godwin Friday declaring victory in an election against longtime Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.

Preliminary results on Friday show the conservative-leaning New Democratic Party winning 14 out of the 15 constituencies in the Caribbean island nation.

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That clears the way for Friday, the opposition leader, to replace Gonsalves as prime minister.

Though official results have yet to be released, the NDP’s likely victory is slated to end the Unity Labour Party’s 24 years in power.

The party addressed its constituents in St Vincent and the Grenadines, sometimes known by the acronym SVG, in a social media post after Thursday’s election.

“We love you, SVG, and we will keep working and advocating for you,” the Unity Labour Party said. “This is not the end, it is the beginning.”

Gonsalves has been the country’s prime minister since 2001, making him one of the world’s longest-serving democratic leaders.

He was also one of the last remaining figures from the first “Pink Tide” trend that swept across Latin America in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That period saw the election of left-wing leaders in a number of countries, from Brazil to Venezuela.

Composed of 32 islands and cays, only nine of which are inhabited, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines relies on industries such as agriculture and tourism to support its population of 111,000.

The NDP campaigned in the island nation on a platform that focused on increasing wages, improving security and building closer ties with China.

While Gonsalves has been an ally of left-wing governments in Cuba and Venezuela, his party has also maintained a relationship with Taiwan.

That makes St Vincent and the Grenadines one of the few countries left in Latin America to continue diplomatic relations with Taiwan, despite growing pressure from China.

Only 12 countries worldwide, including the Vatican, maintain such ties.

Gonsalves was also a supporter of cooperation between Caribbean nations, and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness thanked him for his “passion for regionalism and his unwavering belief in the value of collective action” in a social media post.

Conservative leaders in the region have congratulated Friday on his success, hoping that it is an indicator of possible victories in their own.

“Congratulations to my brother,” said Allen Chastanet, a former prime minister and leader St Lucia’s conservative opposition.

Chastanet is running for election against current Prime Minister Philip Pierre, who is supported by Gonsalves.