Sao Tome and Principe
Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and four failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. Sao Tome and Principe is a semi-presidential republic with mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law.
Sao Tome and Principe has 6 districts in terms of administrative regions.
Economically, Sao Tome and Principe is dependent on export of cocoa beans.
Offices
| Population | Election | Office | Incumbent | Term Length | Term Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 199,910 | Directly Elected | President | Carlos Vila Nova | 5 years | None |
| Indirectly Elected | Prime Minister | Patrice Trovoada | 4 years | None | |
| Directly Elected | National Assembly | 4 years | None |
Upcoming Elections
| Election | Count Down | Election Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sao Tome Presidential Election, 2026 | in a year | July 2026 *No Fixed Date |
| Sao Tome Legislative Election, 2026 | in a year | September 2026 *No Fixed Date |
Event Timeline
| September 25, 2022 | Sao Tome Legislative Election, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Region | Vote Count | Elected |
| Patrice Trovoada | Independent Democratic Action | Sao Tome and Principe | ||
| more... | ||||
October 2, 2021
Carlos Vila Nova begins PresidentEvaristo Carvalho resigns President : Term ends, but extended by indecisive election.
| July 18, 2021 | Sao Tome Presidential Election, 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Region | Vote Count | Elected |
| Carlos Vila Nova | Independent Democratic Action | Sao Tome and Principe | 32,022 | |
| more... | ||||
| October 7, 2018 | Sao Tome Legislative Election, 2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Region | Vote Count | Elected |
| Jorge Bom Jesus | Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe/Social Democratic Party | Sao Tome and Principe | ||
| more... | ||||
| July 17, 2016 | Sao Tome Presidential Election, 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Region | Vote Count | Elected |
| Evaristo Carvalho | Independent Democratic Action | Sao Tome and Principe | 34,522 | |
| more... | ||||