Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s decision to call a general election nearly two years ahead of the constitutional deadline paid off on Thursday, with his ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) securing a commanding victory at the polls.
Preliminary results indicate the ABLP won 15 of the 17 seats contested, a significant improvement from its narrow 9–7 margin in the January 2023 general election.
“We are humbled and honoured by your support and confidence. Now is the time to move forward together, build on our gains and continue our work on this long journey toward the betterment of our society and the upliftment of our people. From each and every one of us, THANK YOU,” Browne wrote on the party’s official Facebook page.
Addressing supporters, Browne expressed gratitude for the confidence placed in his leadership and that of the ABLP to continue the country’s socio-economic development.
“We are here to serve all the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Education, jobs, business opportunities will be open to all who are prepared to seize them and I say to my distinguished countrymen and countrywomen … when we create these opportunities for you, please seize them,” he said.
“And I add here again that no one will be left behind who is willing to move forward. And notwithstanding your political persuasion, this is not a time for laggards. This is a time for all of us to perform, to increase our productivity and to make sure that Antigua and Barbuda becomes one of the most productive small island states globally.”
Browne said projects are already underway across the country, transforming communities, strengthening the economy and improving lives.
“And we will build on that foundation, advancing new initiatives that uplift our people, enhance our dignity and deepen our pride as citizens of Antigua and Barbuda,” he added.
He also urged national unity and confidence on the regional and international stage.
“We must remain a dignified people. We must not cower to anyone. We must not be timid. We must stand tall in every forum, every regional, every international forum as Antiguans and Barbudans,” he said.
Despite the scale of the victory, Browne said it was not a moment for triumphalism.
“So, just in case anyone expected me to gloat, at the end of the day, the contest is over. From all indications, the people who have supported us to get between 15 of the 17 seats, that in itself is a resounding mandate for which we are eternally grateful,” he added.
According to preliminary figures from the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC), Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle of the United Progressive Party (UPP) was the only candidate from his party to retain a seat, defeating ABLP candidate Anthony Smith.
On Barbuda, incumbent Trevor Walker of the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) held his seat with 609 votes, compared to 398 for ABLP candidate Kendra Beazer.
Pringle thanked supporters and congratulated the ABLP on its victory.
“I want to thank all Antiguans and Barbudans who have supported the United Progressive Party. We’re indeed grateful and you will hear from us in a short time,” he said.
He acknowledged the party’s defeat while pledging its continued presence.
“Just as we did in 2018, we’ll still be standing. We can’t get enough of the United Progressive Party. We’ll still be there,” Pringle added.
Among those defeated was former finance minister Harold Lovell, who had returned to contest the All Saints West seat after stepping away from active politics following the 2023 election. He lost to Anthony Smith.
Browne, who retained the St. John’s City West seat he has held since 1999, becomes the first prime minister in Antigua and Barbuda to win four consecutive general elections.
He had framed the early election as a “Renaissance” campaign, arguing that a renewed mandate was necessary to sustain progress achieved under the ABLP since 2014.
Among the winning ABLP candidates was Browne’s wife, Maria Browne, who defeated UPP candidate Ashworth Azille in St. John’s Rural East.
Three independent candidates failed to make a significant impact and all lost their deposits.
Regional pollster Peter Wickham said the results highlight divisions within the opposition, noting that the UPP’s relatively strong performance in 2023 had “completely evaporated.”
“I am seeing overall a swing of more than five per cent, which will allow the ABLP to probably win all the seats on the mainland,” Wickham said during a television interview, adding that the polling data had accurately reflected the outcome.
Professor Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, said the results addressed key concerns among voters about leadership.
“Can I see this person as leading my country and being the prime minister? And you’re also looking at candidates, you know, who might be the health minister … So, people are looking at that,” Robinson said during a panel discussion on state media.
He described Pringle as the “only man standing” within the UPP but suggested the party faces leadership challenges going forward.
Wickham argued that despite retaining his seat, Pringle should consider stepping down as party leader.
“My sense now is that I don’t believe that he will lead the UPP for much longer,” Wickham said, suggesting the party may turn to extra-parliamentary leadership.
“And if he is wise, he will essentially give them the opportunity for doing that… it appears as though the electorate has said they put their confidence in him. But the reality is that he had the strongest seat. So that’s the reason why he’s the last man standing,” he added.
He noted that similar dynamics have been observed elsewhere in the region, where individual constituency strength can allow candidates to withstand broader electoral swings, independent of wider leadership appeal.
