The Arawaks were guided to Dominica, and other islands of the Caribbean, by the South Equatorial Current from the waters of the Orinoco River. These descendants of the early Taínos were overthrown by the Kalinago tribe of the Caribs.
The politics of Dominica takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Dominica is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the House of Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Elections in Dominica have been taking place since 1832. Dominica elects on national level a legislature. The House of Assembly has 32 members, 21 members elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies, 9 appointed senators, the Speaker and 1 ex officio member. a head of state - the president - is elected by the House of Assembly.
The United Workers' Party is a centrist political party in Dominica. As of the 2009 general election, it is the only opposition party represented in the House of Assembly of Dominica, holding three of the twenty-one seats. Its past Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly is Hector John.
The House of Assembly is the legislature of Dominica. It is established by Chapter III of the Constitution of Dominica, and together with the President of Dominica constitutes Dominica's Parliament. The House is unicameral, and consists of twenty-one Representatives, nine Senators, and the Attorney General as an ex officio member. The Speaker of the House becomes the thirty-second member if chosen from outside the membership of the House.
General elections were held in Dominica on 5 May 2005. The result was a victory for the ruling Dominica Labour Party, which won 12 of the 21 seats in the House of Assembly. The opposition United Workers' Party unsuccessfully made legal challenges to several of the constituency results.
General elections were held in Dominica on 31 January 2000 and saw the Dominica Labour Party led by Rosie Douglas take power defeating the previous government of the United Workers' Party led by Edison James, despite the UWP receiving more votes. The DLP won 10 seats, the UWP 9 seats and the Dominica Freedom Party took 2 seats. Voter turnout was 59.25%. The Dominica Labour Party formed a government in coalition with the Dominica Freedom Party. Voter turnout was 60.2%, the lowest since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1951.
The People's Democratic Movement is a minor political party in Dominica. The party was founded in 2007 and is led by Williams Riviere, a former executive member of the Dominica Labour Party. In the 2009 elections it put forward three candidates. However, they received only 179 votes (0.49%) and failed to win a seat.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly of Dominica is responsible for the management and general administration of the House, ensuring that rules of procedure are followed. The Speaker is elected by the House of Assembly at its first sitting after a general election.
General elections were held in Dominica on 17 January 1961. The result was a victory for the Dominica Labour Party, which won 7 of the 11 seats. Voter turnout was 76.9%.
General elections were held in Dominica on 26 October 1970. The result was a victory for the Dominica Labour Party, which won 8 of the 11 seats. Voter turnout was 81.6%.
General elections were held in Dominica on 21 July 1980. The result was a victory for the Dominica Freedom Party, which won 17 of the 21 seats, whilst the ruling Dominica Labour Party lost all 16 seats after nineteen years in power. Voter turnout was 80.2%.
General elections were held in Dominica on 1 July 1985. The result was a victory for the Dominica Freedom Party, which won 15 of the 21 seats. Voter turnout was 74.6%.
The Dominica United People's Party was a political party in Dominica. It first contested elections in 1961, when it finished second behind the Dominica Labour Party and won four of the eleven seats with 25.6% of the vote. In the 1966 elections it increased its share of the vote to 32.2%, but won only a single seat. It did not contest the next elections in 1970 then the Dominica Freedom Party became the main opposition party.
The Dominica Democratic Party was a political party in Dominica. It contested the 1961 general elections, receiving only 125 votes (0.8%) and failing to win a seat. It did not run in any subsequent elections.
The Dominica Democratic Labour Party was a political party in Dominica created by a split of the Dominica Labour Party in 1979. It contested the 1980 general elections, finishing second behind the Dominica Freedom Party with 19.7% of the vote and two of the 21 seats. However, it did not contest any subsequent elections.
The Dominica Progressive Party is a minor political party in Dominica. It contested the 1985 general elections under the name Dominica Progressive Force, receiving only 78 votes (0.2%) and failing to win a seat. It changed its name prior to the 1990 elections, but received only 74 votes (0.2%) and again failed to win a seat. Although it did not participate in the elections in 1995 and 2000, it returned for the 2005 elections in which it put forward three candidates but failed to win a seat. In the 2009 elections it received only 24 votes.
