Parliamentary elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...

 on 20 January 1991. They were the first multi-party elections for the National Assembly

National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe

The unicameral National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 26 March 2006, has a total of 55 members elected in 7 multi-member constituencies using the party-list proportional representation system...

, following a referendum

São Tomé and Príncipe constitutional referendum, 1990

A constitutional referendum was held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 22 August 1990. The new constitution would introduce multi-party democracy for the first time since independence, as well as limiting the President to two terms. It was approved by 95.3% of voters. Parliamentary and presidential...

 the previous year. The result was a victory for the Democratic Convergence Party-Reflection Group, which won 33 of the 55 seats, defeating the former sole legal party, the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe - Social Democratic Party

Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe

The Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party or Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe/Partido Social Democrata, in Portuguese, is one of the main political parties in São Tomé and Príncipe...

. Voter turnout was 77.1%.

Background and outcome of elections

The main political parties in the election were the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe - Social Democratic Party

Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe

The Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party or Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe/Partido Social Democrata, in Portuguese, is one of the main political parties in São Tomé and Príncipe...

 (MLSTP-PSD), the former sole legal party and the Democratic Convergence Party - Reflection Group (PCD-GR), a party formed by a coalition

Coalition

A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...

 of MLSTP dissidents, independent

Independent (politician)

In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...

s, and young professionals. Some of the smaller parties that participated in the election were the FDC, or Christian Democratic Front

Christian Democratic Front

The Christian Democratic Front is a small political party in São Tomé and Príncipe. It failed to win any seats in the National Assembly following elections held on 26 March 2006....

 and the Democratic Coalition of the Opposition (CODO), created by the merger of three former overseas opposition

Opposition (politics)

In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...

 movements.

The elections, deemed transparent, free, and fair resulted in victory for the PCD-GR, with the MLSTP defeat blamed on the country's economic problems. A transitional government headed by Daniel Daio

Daniel Lima dos Santos Daio

Daniel Lima dos Santos Daio is a former Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe. The first person freely elected to the position, he held the post from 7 February 1991 to 16 May 1992. He is a member of the Democratic Convergence Party – Reflection Group....

 was installed in February pending presidential elections

São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 1991

Presidential elections were held for the first time in São Tomé and Príncipe on 3 March 1991, as previously the President had been elected by the National Assembly. Ultimately only one candidate, Miguel Trovoada, ran for office, and was elected unopposed...

 to be held in March.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Democratic Convergence Party-Reflection Group	21,535	54.4	33
Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe - Social Democratic Party Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe The Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party or Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe/Partido Social Democrata, in Portuguese, is one of the main political parties in São Tomé and Príncipe...	12,090	30.5	21
Democratic Coalition of the Opposition	2,071	5.0	1
Christian Democratic Front Christian Democratic Front The Christian Democratic Front is a small political party in São Tomé and Príncipe. It failed to win any seats in the National Assembly following elections held on 26 March 2006....	598	1.5	0
Invalid/blank votes	3,171	8.6	0
Total	39,605	100	55
Source: Nohlen et al