Sao Tome Government Pick Due in 30 Days
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —The country Sao Tome and Principe is a two-island, Portuguese-speaking nation of more than 200,000 people in the Gulf of Guinea, off Central Africa.
- —What happened On Thursday 15 October, President Carlos Vila Nova said he will pick the Sao Tome government within about 30 days, STP-Press reported.
- —The seats The 27 September election gave MLSTP 24 of 55 seats, ADI 23, a coalition called MCI-PS/PUN 6 and the Basta movement 2.
- —The rival claims MLSTP and Basta hold 26 seats together; ADI and MCI-PS/PUN signed a pact for 29, one above a majority.
- —The condition Vila Nova has said the new government must show stable support in parliament before he names a prime minister.
- —Still open The decree naming a prime minister comes only after the new National Assembly is constituted, and no date has been set.
The Sao Tome government will be chosen within about 30 days, President Carlos Vila Nova said on Thursday 15 October. The Gulf of Guinea island nation has no clear winner, because the 27 September election gave no party a majority.
For US readers, the choice decides who signs fuel, aid and offshore oil deals in a small island state rated Level 1 for travel. Until then the outgoing government also struggles with a petrol shortage.
What the President Said on Thursday
President Carlos Vila Nova told reporters that a decision should come “dentro de 30 dias”, meaning within 30 days, STP-Press reported on 15 October. STP-Press is a news agency based in São Tomé.
He said the decree naming a prime minister will come only after the new National Assembly is constituted. “A minha decisão será feita em democracia e de acordo com quadro legal”, he said, meaning the decision will follow the law.
Vila Nova urged the parties to keep talking until then. He said he will not form a government “que não tem condições para trabalhar”, one that cannot do its work.
How the Vote Split the Parliament
The National Assembly has 55 seats, so a majority needs 28. The Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), led by Américo Barros, won the most seats with 24.
The Independent Democratic Action party (ADI), led by outgoing Prime Minister Américo Ramos, won 23. The ADI had held an outright majority since 2022, as described in our earlier report on the election.
The MCI-PS/PUN coalition, led by Domingos Monteiro, won six seats and the Basta movement won two. The Constitutional Court published the final result in early October, STP-Press reported on 8 October.
Two Rival Claims to Lead
The president heard all four parliamentary groups on Tuesday 13 October, starting at 09:30, Téla Nón and STP-Press reported. Téla Nón is a São Tomé news site that covers politics and the economy.
MLSTP leader Barros told him his party will have parliamentary support and will pass its programme and the budget. The Basta movement, with two seats, backs an MLSTP-led government, which would give that bloc 26 seats.
ADI and MCI-PS/PUN say they could form the Sao Tome government with 29 seats, under a pact signed on Wednesday 7 October. ADI leader Ramos said the deal is “para vingar”, meant to last.
MCI-PS/PUN leader Monteiro said the country is tired of instability. He argued that a prime minister with stable parliamentary backing is the best way to avoid a political crisis.
What the Constitution Allows
Under the constitution, as Téla Nón’s commentary summarises it, the president names the prime minister after hearing the parties and weighing the results. A Téla Nón commentary argues the text does not require the party named to hold 28 seats first.
The new Sao Tome government must present its programme to parliament within 30 days of taking office. If lawmakers reject it, or pass a no-confidence motion by an absolute majority, the government can fall.
A Fuel Crisis Will Not Wait for Politics
The political wait overlaps with a fuel shortage that began in early October, as covered in our report on the petrol shortage. Economy and Finance Minister Gareth Guadalupe said on Wednesday 14 October that the tanker has slipped to next week.
He said the ship is loading diesel in Lomé, Togo, where petrol is already aboard. It must still collect jet fuel and household kerosene in Cotonou, Benin.
He told Téla Nón that Tuesday or Wednesday is the likely arrival, and that the cargo should cover supply for months. Téla Nón reported that many sectors are close to paralysed and that living costs keep rising.
The outgoing government keeps handling those imports. Big new decisions on contracts and licences usually wait for a full Sao Tome government.
What It Means for US Readers
The US State Department rates Sao Tome and Principe at Level 1, “Exercise normal precautions”, its lowest advisory level. Its advisory page lists the US Embassy in Luanda, Angola, as the contact for emergencies.
Travellers should expect petrol shortages until the tanker lands, and the jet fuel is still to be loaded in Benin. Anyone with plans for the islands should check fuel supply with their hotel first.
Investors in cocoa, tourism and the hoped-for offshore oil sector face slower approvals while the parties bargain. The islands sit in the Gulf of Guinea, where the US, Europe and China compete for ports and energy deals.
The audiences reported so far dealt with parliamentary votes, not oil or foreign policy. A stable majority matters because a Sao Tome government that falls within months would stall every contract on the table.
What Is Not Known
President Vila Nova has not said which party he will choose, and he gave no fixed date, only “more or less” 30 days. He did not say when the new National Assembly will be constituted.
It is not clear whether the ADI and MCI-PS/PUN pact will hold if the president picks the MLSTP leader first. Neither bloc has said how its Sao Tome government would handle oil licences, foreign partners or the fuel debt.
More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will lead the Sao Tome government?
That is not decided yet. President Carlos Vila Nova said on 15 October that he will choose within about 30 days which party forms the Sao Tome government.
Who won the 27 September election?
The MLSTP won the most seats with 24 of 55, one ahead of the ADI with 23. No party reached the 28 seats needed for a majority.
Why can the ADI claim to govern if it came second?
The ADI signed a pact with the six-seat MCI-PS/PUN coalition, giving the two a combined 29 seats. That is one more than a majority, though the president wants proof of stable support.
Is it safe to travel to Sao Tome and Principe now?
The US State Department rates the country Level 1, “Exercise normal precautions”. Fuel is short until a tanker arrives, expected around Tuesday 20 or Wednesday 21 October.
What happens to the fuel shortage during the wait?
The outgoing government keeps handling imports. The finance minister said a tanker carrying diesel, petrol, jet fuel and kerosene should arrive next week and cover supply for months.
Sources: STP-Press, 15 October 2026; Téla Nón, 14 October 2026; Téla Nón, 14 October 2026; STP-Press, 8 October 2026; US State Department, 25 September 2024.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief