Rodrigues is a parliamentary constituency represented in the National Assembly of Mauritius. The entire island of Rodrigues, an autonomous region of Mauritius, forms the constituency.[2] It is the only constituency that elects two members to the assembly, with all of the other constituencies electing three members.
Since 2024, four members currently represent the constituency. Both of the elective seats of Rodrigues are represented by Roxana Collet and Francisco François from the Rodrigues People's Organisation. An additional two best loser seats were allocated to the Alliance Liberation, which are represented by Dianette Henriette-Manan and Jacques Édouard.[3]
Constituency profile
The constituency was established in 1966 through an Order in Council after Clement Roussety, a Rodriguan who would eventually be elected as one of the constituency's first members, filed a case to the Supreme Court that the general elections held in 1959 and 1963 were unconstitutional because Rodrigues was omitted from participating it, thus becoming unrepresented.[4]
In the following year, the constituency was first contested in the 1967 general election with both seats going to the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate. Since then, the constituency continues to represent two elected members, with a possibility of members being chosen through the Best Loser System.[4] In the general elections held in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2024, the constituency saw a total of four members elected and chosen to represent the island, the most it had so far.[5]
Political history
Because the constituency composes of the entire island of Rodrigues, it also represents the trends of the island's political affiliation and history over time. The constituency and the island itself has been considered as a bastion of the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate (PMSD), with Gaëtan Duval himself being elected under the best loser system in 1982. However, with the rise of regionalism and the establishment of the Rodrigues People's Organisation (OPR), the PMSD's hold over the constituency and the island itself has declined and it last contested the constituency in 2019.[5]
The OPR has dominated the political life of the island and the constituency since it first won both seats in 1982.[5]Serge Clair, the first leader of the party, represented the constituency from 1982 until his resignation in 2002 to take up the Chief Commissioner of the island.
In 1995, the dominance of the OPR was challenged by the Rodrigues Movement (MR) with both of its candidates being chosen as best losers for Rodrigues. The four seat represtation continued until 2010, when the MR finally managed to challenge the OPR by winning both of the constituency's seats and relegating the OPR to a single best loser seat.
Since 2014, the OPR regained its position by gaining both elected seats. In 2024, the role of MR as the second party faded with the emergence of Alliance Liberation, a political alliance composed of other minor Rodriguan parties, contesting the general election and winning two best loser seats.[3]
Members
This list only considers the succession of seats between members and does not necessarily take into account the order in which members are elected in each election. Years in italic indicate a by-election or a change in party affiliation.
Green background denotes an elected member, yellow for a member elected through the Best Loser System and red for an unsuccessful incumbent member (whether from the same or different constituency).
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