Polls closed on Sunday in Cape Verde’s presidential election, where former justice minister Joana Rosa is challenging incumbent President José Maria Neves. Six candidates are in the running, and if no candidate secures more than half the votes, a runoff will be held on 29 November.
Rosa is supported by the opposition Movement for Democracy, which ruled for a decade before losing the parliamentary elections in May. While women have held senior positions in the Cabinet, Cape Verde has never had a woman president or prime minister.
The nation faces significant challenges, including high unemployment and rising living costs. “I see many promises that are not fulfilled. I am tired, but I am still voting,” said Aderito Cardoso, a 44-year-old resident of Villa Nova in the capital, Praia.
In Cape Verde’s parliamentary system, the prime minister wields most executive power, while the president’s role is largely ceremonial, although the president can veto legislation. The country, which has a population of around half a million, enjoys a tradition of competitive elections and peaceful power transitions. Nearly 77,000 citizens living abroad are registered to vote, making up almost a fifth of the electorate.
Political science professor Roselma Évora noted that limited economic opportunities are prompting many young people to leave. Voters are seeking a president who understands their daily struggles.
Neves, who won the presidency in 2021 with 52% of the vote, has pledged to foster cross-party support to enhance housing, healthcare, education, and job creation while increasing wages. Évora said the president’s incumbency gives him wider visibility, especially among overseas voters. In contrast, Rosa’s candidacy challenges traditional gender roles in a society described as “very patriarchal.”
Rosa has campaigned on the idea that the presidency should act as a counterbalance to the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), which controls the government and most municipalities. The PAICV won a parliamentary majority in May, ending a decade of leadership by the Movement for Democracy. A victory for Rosa would realign the presidency and the government under opposing political factions.
Rosário Luz, a Cape Verde-based writer, emphasised that party loyalties are more critical than gender. “We have a lot of women in politics, but we don’t have the policies for women that we should have,” she said, highlighting that women often bear the financial burden of their households, a situation inadequately addressed by government policies.
