Cape Verde votes in election that could bring first female president

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Nov, 10:01 · Archive

Cape Verde holds a presidential election on Sunday where Justice Minister Joana Rosa could become the nation's first female leader.

Cape Verdeans go to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president. The election could see the island nation off West Africa appoint its first ever female leader. Former Justice Minister Joana Rosa, 61, a lawyer backed by the opposition Movement for Democracy, is the first woman to run for president since Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975. She is running under the slogan 'Listen to Cabo Verde', saying the election of a woman to the presidency would show young women and girls that no government job is barred from them.

Incumbent President José Maria Neves, 66, is favoured to win a second term. He won the 2021 election with around 52 per cent of the vote. Neves has pledged to secure cross-party support to improve housing, healthcare and education, create jobs and raise wages. Six candidates are competing in total, including surgeon Gilson Alves, 45, who promises to fight corruption and restore the death penalty.

Voting starts at 8 am with provisional results expected overnight. If no candidate secures an absolute majority, a second round runoff is scheduled for 29 November. Cape Verde has a record of peaceful transfers of power and competitive elections, rare in the region. The Atlantic island nation, home to about half a million people, has never had a female prime minister or president, though women have held senior cabinet posts.

How it is being reported

• Polls open in Cape Verde in race with first female presidential candidateJoana Rosa and four other opposition candidates face off against President Jose Maria Neves, who wants a second term.Al Jazeera · 15 Nov, 10:03
• Cape Verde heads to the polls in presidential electionIncumbent President José Maria Neves, who won the 2021 presidential election, is favoured to win a second term in office.Euronews · 15 Nov, 09:45
• Cape Verde could make election history with first female presidentCape Verde goes to the polls on Sunday in an election that could see the African island nation appoint its first ever female leader. Justice Minister Joana Rosa challenges incumbent José Maria Neves, who is the country's fifth president since it became independent from Portugal in 1975.France 24 · 15 Nov, 07:56

In this story: Joana Rosa · José Maria Neves · Cape Verde · Movement for Democracy · African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log