The United National Congress (UNC) is one of two major political parties in Trinidad and Tobago and the current opposition party. The UNC is a centre-left party. It was founded in 1989 by Basdeo Panday, a Trinidadian lawyer, economist, trade unionist, and actor after a split in the ruling National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR). After spending six years in opposition, the UNC won control of the government in 1995, initially in coalition with the NAR and later on its own. In the 2000 general election, the UNC won an absolute majority in the Parliament. In 2001, a split in the party caused the UNC to lose its parliamentary majority and control of the government. From 2001 to 2010, the UNC was once again Parliamentary Opposition party. In May 2010, the UNC returned to government as the majority party in the People's Partnership. The UNC's Political Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was sworn in as the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
The People's National Movement (PNM) is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party has dominated national and local politics for much of Trinidad and Tobago's history, contesting all elections since 1956 serving as the nation's governing party or on four occasions, the main opposition. As a result, it has sometimes been referred to as Trinidad and Tobago's "main political party". There have been four PNM Prime Ministers and multiple ministries. The party espouses the principles of liberalism and generally sits at the centre to centre-left of the political spectrum.
The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is a unicameral autonomous legislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. The THA was re-established in 1980 to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands, though a prior body using the same name existed from 1768 to 1874. In addition to the normal local government functions the THA handles many of the responsibilities of the central government, but has limited ability to collect taxes and impose local law or zoning regulations. At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the twelve elected assemblymen, and four appointed councillors. Three of the councillors are appointed on the advice on the Chief Secretary and one on the advice of the Minority Leader. The Chief Secretary is the leader of the majority party in the assembly and is at the helm of the Executive arm of the THA.
The 2009 Tobago House of Assembly election for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was held on January 19, 2009. The PNM won 8 seats and obtained 61.42% of the votes while the TOP won 4 seats and 48.32% of the votes.
Anthony Isidore Smart is a Trinidadian politician and lawyer. He served as a Member of Parliament from December 1986 to November 1991 and Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago from March 1989 to November 1991. He was also Political Leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) from April 2000 to November 2001. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the First Citizens Bank since June 17, 2014.
On Monday November 28, 2016, local elections were held in Trinidad, the bigger of the two main islands of Caribbean island state Trinidad and Tobago. The elections were held slightly more than one month later than originally planned. They were held to select the membership of 14 local authorities, with representatives elected from 137 single-member districts across the country. The entire membership of Trinidad's local government was renewed as a result of these elections, with the previous set of local representatives having been elected in 2013. The elections came roughly a year following the 2015 parliamentary general election.
General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, 10 August 2020, to elect 41 members to the 12th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It was the 14th election since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and the 22nd national election in Trinidad and Tobago ever. Tracy Davidson-Celestine, political leader of the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM) became the first woman to lead a Tobagonian political party with representation in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two of the three largest parties elected in 2015, the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP), were led by women.
The January2021 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election was held on 25 January 2021 where 12 members were elected in the eleventh election since the Assembly was established in 1980, this election marked the first time in history that both parties elected, the People's National Movement (PNM) and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) won an equal number seats of 6-6, despite the PNM winning the popular vote, resulting in a deadlock and a constitutional crisis with both political parties and Prime Minister Keith Rowley seeking Senior counsel advice on the way forward. This election was the first time after 20 years in power that the PNM lost its absolute majority. This election also marked the first time a female political leader was elected to the Assembly and the first time a woman led a major political party or a political party with representation in the Assembly, following the 2020 Tobago Council of the People's National Movement leadership election where Health Secretary, councillor and former Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador to Costa Rica and former Deputy Chief Secretary of Tobago Tracy Davidson-Celestine made history by being elected as the PNM's first female political leader at the regional or national level and one of the first bilingual political leaders in the country's history. If Davidson-Celestine and the PNM were to be elected with a majority to their sixth consecutive term in office, she would have made history, becoming the first female Chief Secretary of Tobago. The election was held alongside local by-elections in Trinidad in which the PNM and UNC retained two districts and the PNM losing one to the UNC.
The 1984 Tobago House of Assembly election for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was held on November 26, 1984. The governing DAC won 11 seats and 56.90% of the votes, while the PNM won 1 seat and obtained 41.7% of the votes.
The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM), also known as the Tobago Council of the PNM, PNM Tobago or PNM Tobago Council is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Tobago. The party is the autonomous branch of the Trinidad and Tobago People's National Movement operating in Tobago. While its political leader acts in the local capacity, they also serve as a deputy leader on a national level. The party's executives organize for both local and national election campaigns. There have been three PNM Chief Secretaries and administrations.
The 2020 Tobago Council of the People's National Movement election were held on January 19, 2020. For the first time, a one member, one vote voting system was adopted for all 17 positions contested. The winner, Tracy Davidson-Celestine, the first female political leader for the party, will go on to contest the Chief Secretary position of the Tobago House of Assembly in the 2021 Tobago House of Assembly election.
Tobago West is a parliamentary electoral district in Trinidad and Tobago, comprising the western part of Tobago. It is currently represented by Shamfa Cudjoe.
Arima is a parliamentary electoral district in Trinidad and Tobago in the north of Trinidad, including part of the borough of Arima. It is currently represented by Pennelope Beckles.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 6 December 2021, to elect all 15 members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The election was called following a deadlock created by the January 2021 elections which resulted in a tie between the People's National Movement (PNM) and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP); with both parties winning six seats. As a result, the number of seats in the legislature was increased from 12 to 15 to avoid potential ties in the future.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 17 January 2005 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement won 11 seats with 58.02% of the vote, while the Democratic Action Congress won one seat with 40.41% of the vote.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 29 January 2001 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement won eight seats with 46.73% of the vote, while the governing National Alliance for Reconstruction won four seats with 38.44% of the vote. This election is the only time to date that the United National Congress participated in an election in Tobago.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 9 December 1996 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The governing National Alliance for Reconstruction won ten seats with 60.1% of the vote, while the People's National Movement won one seat with 33.64% of the vote. Independent candidate Deborah Moore-Miggins won a seat in Bethel/Patience Hill.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 7 December 1992 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The governing National Alliance for Reconstruction won eleven seats with 58.7% of the vote, while the People's National Movement won one seat with 37.03% of the vote.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 29 November 1988 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The National Alliance for Reconstruction won eleven seats with 63.69% of the vote, while the People's National Movement won one seat with 35.88% of the vote.
The 1980 Tobago House of Assembly election for the newly-created Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was held on November 24, 1980. The DAC won 8 seats and 53.14% of the votes, while the PNM won 4 seats and obtained 44.65% of the votes.
Trinidad and Tobagoportal 
