In a dramatic turn of events that has sent ripples across the Caribbean, the New Democratic Party (NDP) has clinched a historic landslide victory in the November 27, 2025, general election in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The result marks the end of Ralph Gonsalves’ decades-long tenure as prime minister and ushers in a new era under Godwin Friday, a seasoned parliamentarian and leader of the NDP.
Preliminary results show the NDP won a staggering 14 out of 15 parliamentary seats, a crushing blow to Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party (ULP), which has held power since 2001. According to Reuters and The Guardian, Gonsalves, the Caribbean’s longest-serving prime minister, was the only ULP candidate to retain his seat, a stark contrast to his previous nine-seat majority. The election, which saw both major parties field 15 candidates along with two independent female contenders, was widely seen as a referendum on Gonsalves’ lengthy leadership and the direction of the country.
Godwin Friday, 66, who has represented North Grenadines in parliament for 23 years and led the NDP since 2016, is set to become the new prime minister. A lawyer with a doctorate in political science, Friday campaigned on promises of economic renewal, more and better-paid jobs, addressing rising crime and violence, and improving healthcare and infrastructure. He also pledged to consider introducing a citizenship by investment (CBI) program, a move that would align St Vincent and the Grenadines with other Eastern Caribbean nations. Currently, it is the only independent state among the seven-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States not to offer CBI, according to The Guardian.
The scale of the NDP’s victory stunned political observers and residents alike. Regional political analyst Peter Wickham remarked on social media, “Looks like a giant has fallen in Vincy,” capturing the sense of seismic change as Ralph Gonsalves prepared to hand over the reins. Other Caribbean leaders were quick to acknowledge the significance of the election. Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, who is himself grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, congratulated Friday, stating on X, “I wish Dr Friday every success as he undertakes the responsibility of national leadership, and I pray God’s guidance and wisdom upon him in the work ahead. Jamaica values its close friendship with St Vincent and the Grenadines, and we look forward to strengthening our cooperation as we continue to build a more resilient and prosperous Caribbean region together.”
Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, echoed these sentiments, posting, “I congratulate the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on a successful general election, where a resounding democratic mandate was given to the New Democratic Party (NDP) and Dr Godwin Friday, the Prime Minister-Elect. I commend the citizens of Saint Vincent for upholding the highest ideals of democracy. May God bless the newly elected government as they begin this new chapter of service to the people of Saint Vincent.”
The campaign trail was not without controversy. Just two days before the polls, Gonsalves accused eight Trinidad and Tobago lawyers of attempting to rig the election in favor of the NDP, warning that any such activity without the appropriate Caricom skills national certificate would be illegal. He also claimed that Marabella West councillor John Michael Alibocas, known as Makamillion, was poised to lead a group of Trinidadian entertainers to campaign for the opposition, though they ultimately refrained. These allegations added a layer of tension to an already heated electoral contest.
Adding to the scrutiny, Gonsalves and his family found themselves at the center of an investigation by Trinidad’s Housing Development Corporation (HDC) over the purchase of three apartments at the upscale Victoria Keyes development in Diego Martin. Minister Anil Roberts accused the Gonsalves family of being favored by the former PNM government and failing to declare their interests, prompting the HDC, now under the UNC government, to launch a probe into the transactions.
The ideological divide between the two parties was clear throughout the campaign. As Reuters noted, the ULP campaigned on maintaining current foreign policy, including continued support for Taiwan—a relationship that has brought benefits such as scholarships, aid for the international airport, and assistance in constructing a state-of-the-art hospital. Taiwan’s ambassador to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Fiona Fan, congratulated Friday and emphasized the countries’ shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. “Taiwan and Saint Vincent share universal values such as democracy, freedom and human rights,” the Taiwan foreign ministry stated. However, the NDP has previously advocated for closer ties with China, though its 2025 manifesto made no mention of ending relations with Taipei, a point that drew criticism for lack of clarity.
Gonsalves’ defeat, according to University of the West Indies lecturer Emanuel Quashie, was the result of several factors. “There was a lot of anti-Ralph sentiment given that he was in power for so long. Granted, he did do a lot in terms of transforming SVG. He took us through the global financial crisis. He took us through the global pandemic. He took us through the La Soufrière volcanic eruption, Hurricane Beryl and previous climate change episodic events. But I think that wasn’t a concern for many of the voters either. I also think that the messaging from the ULP was not strong and convincing enough because I did not see them leaning enough on a lot of their wins,” Quashie told The Guardian.
Perhaps most damaging was the public backlash to the government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate, which required most frontline workers to be vaccinated and resulted in job losses for those who refused. In 2021, Gonsalves was hospitalized after being struck on the head with a stone during a protest against the mandate—a vivid illustration of the deep divisions and passions the policy stirred.
Despite the sweeping loss, Gonsalves managed to retain his Windward seat, ensuring his continued presence in parliament even as his party faces a period of reckoning and renewal. The NDP, meanwhile, faces the challenge of translating its electoral mandate into tangible improvements for Vincentians, many of whom are eager for change after years of ULP rule.
With the dust now settling on one of the most consequential elections in St Vincent and the Grenadines’ modern history, all eyes are on Godwin Friday and his new government as they prepare to chart a fresh course for the island nation—one that promises opportunity, reform, and perhaps a reimagined place in the global community.
