The Bahamas Commissioner of Police, Shanta Knowles, acting in her capacity as Provost Marshal, on Wednesday read the proclamation from Cynthia Pratt officially dissolving Parliament ahead of the May 12 general election.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Governor General by Article 66, subsection 2, of the Constitution, and acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, I, Dame Cynthia A. Pratt, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, do hereby proclaim that Parliament shall be and is hereby dissolved on Wednesday, the 8th day of April, 2026,” Knowles said.
The next session of Parliament is set to begin on May 20, 2026.
Chairman of the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Fred Mitchell, said the writs of election will be issued Thursday, expressing confidence that the PLP, which will face a challenge from the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM), will be returned to office.
“I expect to have a peaceful election. I’ve said to all of our supporters, let us enjoy the campaign, even as we disagree with those of our citizens who do not support us.
“We think that in the years that we’ve been in government, we’ve made reasonable progress in making sure that the country has grown, expanded, and the opportunities are greater than they were four and a half years ago.”
Mitchell said this is the case the PLP intends to make, adding: “I expect that case to be successful, and my hope and expectation is that we’ll return to government.”
Prime Minister Philip Davis called the election seven months ahead of the constitutional deadline.
In the September 16, 2021 general election, Davis led the then-opposition PLP to a decisive victory over the then-ruling FNM, winning 32 of the 39 seats in Parliament.
Meanwhile, a member of the PLP and outgoing Southern Shores representative, Leroy Major, said he will contest the election as an independent candidate after failing to secure the party’s nomination.
“I will be running as an independent in the next election on May 12,” he told The Nassau Guardian, adding: “Let me say, I want to thank the people of Southern Shores for trusting me, for giving me an opportunity to serve them and to be their voice.
“Unfortunately, things had a turn with the party, and I appreciate my PLP party, but this time around, I want to continue to serve my people,” said Major, who was first elected to Parliament in 2021.
Both parties have announced plans to stage rallies on Saturday, with the PLP holding its rally at R.M. Bailey Park and the FNM staging its Grand Bahama rally in Grand Bahama.
