Unity Labour Party
Encyclopedia
The Unity Labour Party is a democratic socialist
political party
in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
. Currently the governing party, it is led by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves
.
and the Movement for National Unity
. The parties had run as an alliance in the elections
earlier that year, promising voters that they would merge after the election regardless of the result. In the 1998 elections
they received 54.6% of the vote, but the New Democratic Party won a majority of seats. However, in the 2001 general election
the ULP won its first parliamentary majority
, winning twelve of the fifteen seats. The party won another majority in the 2005 general election. With a fall in popular support, the party was narrowly re-elected in the 2010 general election, winning 8 out of 15 elected seats in the House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
.
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
. Currently the governing party, it is led by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves
Ralph Gonsalves
Ralph Everard Gonsalves , also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the fourth and current Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and leader of the Unity Labour Party . Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election...
.
History
The party was formed in 1994 from the merger of the Saint Vincent Labour PartySaint Vincent Labour Party
The Saint Vincent Labour Party was a social democratic political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the ruling party between 1967 and 1972 and again from 1974 until 1984.-History:...
and the Movement for National Unity
Movement for National Unity
The Movement for National Unity was a political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It was formed shortly before the 1984 general elections by a split from the United People's Movement due to the refusal of most party members to disown Fidel Castro's politics. The new party received 2.0% of...
. The parties had run as an alliance in the elections
Vincentian general election, 1994
General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 21 February 1994. The result was a victory for the New Democratic Party, which won twelve of the fifteen seats. Voter turnout was 65.6%.-Results:...
earlier that year, promising voters that they would merge after the election regardless of the result. In the 1998 elections
Vincentian general election, 1998
General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 15 June 1998. Although the Unity Labour Party received a majority of the public vote, the New Democratic Party won a majority of seats. Voter turnout was 67.4%.-Results:...
they received 54.6% of the vote, but the New Democratic Party won a majority of seats. However, in the 2001 general election
Vincentian general election, 2001
General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 28 March 2001. The result was a victory for the Unity Labour Party, which won twelve of the fifteen seats. Voter turnout was 69.2%.-Results:...
the ULP won its first parliamentary majority
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
, winning twelve of the fifteen seats. The party won another majority in the 2005 general election. With a fall in popular support, the party was narrowly re-elected in the 2010 general election, winning 8 out of 15 elected seats in the House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a unicameral legislature that serves as the legislative body for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
.