Barbados
House of Assembly
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Parliamentary system
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Bicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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No
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
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19 Jan 2022
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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27 Dec 2021
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Early elections
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Expected date of next elections
The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
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31 Jan 2027
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
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30
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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Prime Minister Mia Mottley's Barbados Labour Party (BLP) once again swept all 30 seats in the House of Assembly at elections held in January 2022. These were 18 months earlier than constitutionally required. On 20 January, Ms. Mottley was sworn in for a second consecutive term.
The 2022 elections were the first to be held after the country became a republic through constitutional amendments in October 2021 (see note). The BLP ran on the Government’s record, stating the economy was recovering despite damage to the tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. Opposition leaders had criticized Prime Minister Mottley for holding the election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to official figures, some 5,500 people were in isolation in a country of around 300,000 inhabitants.
Note:
In September 2020, the Government announced a plan to transform the country into a republic. On 6 October 2021, Parliament unanimously adopted the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which, among others, stipulates that the Governor General will be replaced by the President of the Republic. On 12 October 2021, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition jointly nominated Dame Sandra Mason (Barbados’ Governor General since 2018) for the post. On 20 October, a joint session of the House of Assembly and the Senate elected her as the first President of Barbados. She was officially sworn in on 30 November 2021, the country’s 55th anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom.
Consequently, 7 of the 21 senators have been appointed by the President of the Republic (instead of the Governor General). The Prime Minister continues to appoint 12 senators and the Leader of the Opposition appoints two.
The Senate is renewed after each general election to the House of Assembly. The term of each parliament remains at five years. On 24 January 2022, the Prime Minister appointed 11 senators, including Senate President Mr. Reginald Farley (who had succeeded Sir Richard in September 2020). She also announced her intention to ask the Cabinet and Parliament to bring a constitutional amendment to lower the minimum age at which one can serve in the Senate from 21 to 18, adding that Mr. Khaleel Kothdiwala (an 18-year-old university student) should be able to become a Senator.
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Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
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1
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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100.0%
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Alternation of power after elections
The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
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No
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Number of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
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1
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Names of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
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Barbados Labour Party (BLP)
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group | Total |
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Barbados Labour Party (BLP) | 30 |
Members elected, by sex
- Number of men elected
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22
- Number of women elected
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8
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Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
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26.7%
- Women Directly Elected
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8
- Sources
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House of Assembly (02.02.2022, 09.02.2022)
https://www.barbadosparliament.com/bills/details/581
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/barbados-becomes-a-republic/
BBC
Reuters
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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22
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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8
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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26.7%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
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No information available
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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No information available
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
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04 Feb 2022
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Arthur Holder (Male)
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Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Barbados Labour Party (BLP)
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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04 Feb 2022