After months of delays and mounting internal tensions, the Free National Movement (FNM), the Bahamas’ main Opposition party, is expected to unveil its first slate of candidates for the upcoming general election today.
In a brief statement on Wednesday, the party announced: “The rollout will present newly ratified FNM candidates for the upcoming general election. This dynamic and diverse slate of candidates represents real change and people-centered leadership.”
The announcement comes after several missed deadlines. Back in April, FNM Chairman Dr. Duane Sands said the party hoped to ratify its first 20 candidates by May 1. That deadline was later pushed to the end of May by party leader Michael Pintard, but the list was still not released at that time.
Earlier this month, Pintard told The Tribune that interviews were ongoing and that the party was continuing to refine its selection process.
The long-awaited reveal follows internal friction, particularly after confirmation that former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis would not be renominated for the Killarney constituency — a decision that sparked criticism from his supporters. The party also lost Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis, who resigned after reportedly learning he would not be renominated. Lewis has since joined the Coalition of Independents.
Addressing Lewis’ departure, Dr. Sands said the MP was no longer aligned with the party’s current direction under Pintard’s leadership, adding that the constituency association in Central Grand Bahama had made clear it wanted new representation.
Today’s unveiling is expected to signal the FNM’s effort to refocus and solidify its campaign machinery as the next general election looms.
The next general election in The Bahamas is expected by 2026, under the country’s five-year electoral cycle. The last election took place on September 16, 2021, electing all 39 members of the House of Assembly. That sets the constitutional deadline for the next vote in September 2026 at the latest. Until then, Parliament may be dissolved early, triggering a snap election, but no date has been set.
