Next Belizean general election

On or before 13 February 2021
All 31 seats in the Belize House of Representatives
16 seats needed for a majority

 
UDP
PUP
Leader TBD[n 1] Johnny Briceño
Party UDP PUP
Leader since 31 January 2016 (2016-01-31)
Leader's seat Orange Walk Central
Last election 19 seats 12 seats
Seats needed Steady Increase4
Incumbent Prime Minister

Dean Barrow
UDP
Belize
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Belize

The next Belizean general election will elect members of the country's House of Representatives. It must be held on or before 13 February 2021.

Date

The prior general election was held on 4 November 2015, and the previous National Assembly opened on 13 November 2015. According to Section 84 of the Constitution of Belize, the National Assembly must be dissolved "five years from the date when the two Houses of the former National Assembly first met" unless dissolved sooner by the Governor-General of Belize upon the advice of the prime minister.[1] A general election must be called within three months of a dissolution, which means the latest possible date for the next Belizean general election is 13 February 2021.

Despite the five-year term, three of the last four general elections have been called at least a year early. Both Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the opposition People's United Party are on record supporting lowering the maximum term of the National Assembly to four years.[2]

Barrow has stated his intention to retire as prime minister and UDP leader no later than the end of 2019, strongly hinting at a snap election in late 2019 or early 2020.[3]

Background

UDP

The ruling United Democratic Party, which has been in power since 2008, will attempt to win a fourth consecutive general election. However, both major parties are likely to contest this election with first-time leaders. UDP leader and Prime Minister Dean Barrow has stated he will step down from both posts in the months leading up to the election to make way for a new leader. The UDP has tentatively scheduled a May 2019 convention to name Barrow's successor as party leader. Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber and Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar are expected to contest the position.[4][5]

PUP

Despite gains in Belize City in 2015, most notably Kareem Musa's upset win over Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley in the Caribbean Shores constituency, the opposition PUP remained at 11 seats overall thanks to losses in the Cayo and Corozal Districts. The PUP is expected to run with Leader of the Opposition Johnny Briceño as its leader. Francis Fonseca, who led the party during the past two general elections, resigned from leadership soon after the party's 2015 loss. Although Briceño served a previous term as PUP leader from 2008 to 2011, he has yet to lead the party during a general election. Briceño, who represents a constituency in Orange Walk Town, would be the first PUP member to lead the party in an election who is not from Belize City.

Others

The Belize Progressive Party, which made its electoral debut in 2015 but failed to win any seats, is expected to contest the election as well.

Retirements

The election will be marked by several high-profile retirements. Fonseca and former PUP Prime Minister Said Musa have indicated they will stand down from their respective House seats at this election.[6] Musa, who has contested the Belize City-based Fort George constituency in every election since 1974, is the sole remaining House member who served prior to Belize's 1981 independence from Great Britain.

On the UDP side, former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega has also announced he is standing down. Other announced UDP retirements include Barrow – who has served in the Belize House continuously since 1984 – and Michael Finnegan, who has been in office since 1993. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Dean Barrow's son and Finnegan's nephew, is reportedly interested in succeeding Finnegan as the UDP standard bearer in the Mesopotamia constituency.[7] Veteran UDP Area Representative Anthony "Boots" Martinez will also not seek re-election.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Although Dean Barrow is the current UDP leader, he has stated his intention to step down before the election.

References

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