Bahamas PM Philip Davis declares victory in snap election for PLP

Bahamas prime minister declares win after snap election

Philip Davis declared victory for the Progressive Liberal Party in the Bahamas snap election on Tuesday, telling supporters at a victory rally in Nassau late that day that it was “not just a win for the political party he leads, but also for the entire country,” according to the Associated Press. Davis made the remarks flanked on stage by his wife, Ann Marie, and senior party officials.

Davis said: “To Bahamians who voted today, but did not vote for us, I want you to know I’ve listened to you, I’ve heard you and I want you to know that I will continue to work hard for all Bahamians,” AP reported. He said earlier that he had received a concession phone call from Michael Pintard, leader of the main opposition Free National Movement, the AP reported.

Pintard later addressed supporters at the FNM’s headquarters, telling them the voters had spoken and the opposition had accepted the decision. “The Bahamian people made their choice, in a democracy that is the only voice that ultimately matters,” Pintard said, AP reported.

Local media projected that the PLP would win more than 30 of the 41 parliamentary seats, while official results were not immediately released, AP reported. The AP report said the snap election gave Davis’s party a second straight general election win, with the last time a party won two consecutive general elections in the Bahamas dating to 1997.

The election took place as new parliamentary constituencies were introduced. AP reported that St. James and Bimini and the Berry Islands became the first two newly created constituencies for members of parliament, increasing the total number of seats from 39 to 41.

The AP report also said campaigning in the weeks leading up to the election centered on issues including the state of the public healthcare system, the crime rate, the cost of living and immigration concerns. In the previous general election in September 2021, the PLP won 32 of the 39 seats, while the FNM won the remaining seven.

International election observers were present to oversee the vote, AP reported. The Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, the U.S. government and the regional trade bloc CARICOM confirmed they were sending election observers, according to AP.

After the election, regional leaders congratulated Davis on his reelection. AP reported that Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, both less than a year into new terms after reelections in their respective countries, were among those who offered congratulations, along with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.