Mauritian general election, 1991

Mauritius

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Mauritius

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General elections was held in Mauritius on 15 September 1991.^[1] Three main parties gained seats in this election: the Militant Socialist Movement, Mauritian Militant Movement and the Labour Party. The MSM formed an alliance with the MMM and the Labour party formed an alliance with the Mauritian Social Democrat Party (PMSD). On 17 September 1991, results showed that MSM-MMM won 57 seats out of 60 elected seats.^[2] This gave 95% of seats to MSM-MMM leader Anerood Jugnauth and 5% to Labour Party-PMSD leader Navin Ramgoolam.

Parties and leaders

The main political parties taking part in the elections were the Militant Socialist Movement and Labour Party which were the current government, and the Mauritian Militant Movement which was the current opposition party. Earlier that year, Navin Ramgoolam^[3] became the leader of the Labour Party. As a result, the coalition of the MSM-Labour Party broke because Ramgoolam demanded that the deal between the parties should be reviewed. He then demanded to the leader of the MSM party, Anerood Jugnauth, that he should be allowed to hold the office of Prime Minister for half of the term (2.5 years). The rest would then be led by the second leader. However, Jugnauth did not want to step down in front of Ramgoolam. As a result, the party coalition broke in February 1991 and Navin Ramgoolam announced that his party will be going alone for government elections that year in September .

MSM-MMM Coalition

Jugnauth initiated the idea of joining hands with the other major leader Paul Bérenger before the elections. Jugnauth, who was the leader of the Mauritian Militant Movement(MMM) between 1976 to 1983 before the formation of the Militant Socialist Movement(MSM), teamed up with former colleague, leading to the MSM forming an alliance with the MMM.

It was decided that MSM leader Anerood Jugnauth would remain Prime Minister for the full term of 5 years and MMM leader Paul Bérenger would become a Minister. Berenger later became Minister of External Affairs.^[4]

It was the first time that the MMM and the MSM joined hands together after the famous break up of the two leaders. Notably, before Jugnauth became the leader of the MSM, he was member & leader of MMM while Berenger was President of MMM.They were both in same party and had won the famous 60-0 elections of 1982 with the leader of the PSM party, Harish Boodhoo. However, the team broke up in 1983 and Jugnauth was voted out of the party by all members of the MMM. With the formation of the MSM in 1983, Anerood Jugnauth became member & leader the same year. He joined hands with the previous Mauritian Labour Party leader, Sir Satcam Boolel, and ousted the MMM party out of government thus making Paul Bérenger become the leader of the Opposition.

MSM Members

With the continuous reign of Jugnauth of 10 years, after 3 mandates many members were worried. Jugnauth was seen to be unbeatable until then and no one was allowed to hold the office of Prime Minister in any kind of coalition. Sir Anerood always insisted that his coalitions would be led by him only.

Many members of the MSM left the party during the term and went to the Mauritian Labour Party in hope of political freedom. Rama Sithanen, Sheila Bappoo and Daram Gockool were members that did this and became ministers of the government led by Navin Ramgoolam and due to this, Jugnauth was under pressure to held general elections in 1995 instead of 1996.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
			Constituency	Best-loser	Total
MSM-MMM-MTD	944,521	55.4	57	0	57
Labour Party-MSDP	670,631	39.3	5	4	9
Rodrigues People's Organisation	16,080	0.9
Socialist Workers' Front	12,162	0.7	0	0	0
Rodrigues People's Grouping	11,646	0.7	0	0	0
Liberal Action Party	6,053	0.4	0	0	0
Mauritian People's Party	5,696	0.3	0	0	0
Militant Workers Party	2,137	0.1	0	0	0
Socialist Movement of the South	686	0.0	0	0	0
Communist Party of Mauritius	358	0.0	0	0	0
Mauritius Party Rights	243	0.0	0	0	0
Tamil Fraternity of Mauritius	191	0.0	0	0	0
Mauritius United Party	160	0.0	0	0	0
People's Democratic Party	121	0.0	0	0	0
Independents	30,005	1.8	0	0	0
Total	1,706,240	100	62	4	66
Source: Nohlen et al, EISA

By consituency

Constituency	Elected MPs	Party Alliance	Religion!
1	LACLÉ, Mathieu Ange BOULLE Edouard JérômeLARIDON ARMANCE, Georges Alain	MSM-MMM	Christians
2	JEEWAH, Ahmad Sulliman ASGARALLY Abdool Azize LEE CHEONG LEM, Noe Ah-Qwet	MSM-MMM	Muslim Chinese
3	Cassam Uteem GENDOO, Osman KHODABUX, Bashir Ahmud	MSM-MMM	Muslim
4	BRIZMOHUN, Parmanund ARUNASALOM, José GENEVIEVE, Claude Raymond	MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian
5	Navin Ramgoolam JHURRY, Jyaneshwur KOONJOO, Premdut	Labor Party-MSDP MSM-MMM MSM/MSM	Hindu
6	FOKEER, Dharmanand Goopt, DULLOO, Madan Murlidhar PARSURAMAN Armoorgum	MSM-MMM	Hindu
7	Sir Anerood Jugnauth GUNGAH, Dwarkanath UTCHANAH, Mahyendrah	MSM-MMM	Hindu
8	Ashok Jugnauth MOUTIA, Sutyadeo PYNEEANDEE, Retnon	MSM-MMM	Hindu
9	BACHOO, Anil Kumar GUTTEE, Rajnarain NEEWOOR, Roodrashen	MSM-MMM	Hindu
10	JADDOO, Ramduthsing GOBURDHUN, Jagdishwar PEERUN, Mohammud Zeelannee	MSM-MMM	Hindu Hindu Muslim
11	BOOLELL, Arvin DAYAL, Bharat Bhusan, LALLAH, Subhas Chandra	Labor Party-MSDP MSM-MMM	Hindu
12	BUNWAREE, Dr. Vasant Kumar COLLENDAVELLOO, Ivan Leslie CHOONEE, Mookhesswur	Labor Party-MSDP MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian Hindu
13	AUMEER, Hurreeprem NABABSING, Paramhamsa KASENALLY Ahmud	MSM-MMM	Hindu Muslim
14	GANOO, Alan COMARMOND, Claude Francis Germain PHOKEER, Sooroojdev	MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian Hindu
15	OBEEGADOO, Louis Steven SEETARAM, Iswurdeo SOODHUN, Showkutally	MSM-MMM	Christian Hindu Muslim
16	BAPPOO, Sheilabai GOKHOOL, Dharambeer Karl Offmann	MSM-MMM	Hindu Hindu Christian
17	DARGA, Louis Amédée SAUZIER, Philippe Epaminondas Gaston Maxime TEELOCK, Sanjit Kumar	MSM-MMM	Christian Hindu
18	RUHEE, Keertee Coomar Rama Sithanen GLOVER, Michael James Kevin	MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian
19	CUTTAREE, Jaya Krishna DE LESTRAC, Jean Claude Gervais Raoul Paul Bérenger	MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian
20	BHAGWAN, Rajesh Anand MINERVE, Marie Therèse Joceline FINETTE, Jean Régis	MSM-MMM	Hindu Christian
Source: Government of Mauritius

References

1. ^ Election Results Government of Mauritius
2. ^ Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p618 ISBN 0198296452
3. ^ Bio-data of Dr The Honourable Navinchandra Ramgoolam, GCSK Government of Mauritius
4. ^ Bio-data of Honourable Paul Raymond Bérenger G.C.S.K, MP Government of Mauritius