Mia Mottley Wins Historic Third Term as Barbados Labour Party Sweeps All 30 Seats

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has won a historic third consecutive election, with her Barbados Labour Party claiming all 30 seats in the House of Assembly for the third time running, state broadcaster CBC Barbados reported early on Thursday Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

The result cements Mottley's dominance over Barbadian politics and extends one of the most remarkable winning streaks in Caribbean electoral history. The 60-year-old leader, who became the country's first female prime minister after independence in 1966, has now led the BLP to three consecutive 30-0 shutouts — a feat that has left the opposition Democratic Labour Party without a single parliamentary seat since 2018 Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

The scale of victory came as little surprise. A nationwide poll commissioned by local outlets the Nation and Starcom ahead of the vote found that nearly 80 percent of decided voters intended to back the BLP, while just 18 percent supported DLP leader Ralph Thorne Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday.. Only about 10 percent of respondents said they would consider voting outside the two main parties Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

Thorne, who previously ran for the BLP before crossing to lead the opposition, was himself unseated in his constituency Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported.. Speaking from DLP headquarters, he called the result "disappointing" but expressed gratitude that the campaign had been clean Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

Victory speech and national holiday

Surrounded by supporters dressed in the party's red, Mottley struck a populist tone in her victory speech. "Our mission first and foremost is to stop poor people from being poor and to remove injustice wherever it exists to create opportunities for people," she said Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported.. She announced that Friday would be a public bank holiday across the island Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

The prime minister also pledged to safeguard Barbadian democracy, noting that the country last year celebrated 75 years since citizens gained the right to vote without owning property Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported.. Her party has vowed to maintain its focus on the economy, the cost of living, and Barbados's international profile Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

Opposition critique and voter discontent

Despite the landslide, the election exposed underlying tensions. The DLP campaigned on domestic priorities, accusing the government of broken promises and pledging to reduce taxes, cut crime and improve affordability . Thorne argued that policy should focus squarely on Barbadians' everyday concerns rather than the prime minister's high-profile global engagements Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported..

Voter apathy remained a significant factor. The pre-election survey found that nearly half the electorate was either undecided or planned not to vote at all Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday. — a warning sign for a democracy where turnout has historically been robust.

Construction worker Anthony Sobers captured the frustration of some residents. "This government get too comfortable. Everything centralised, everything tight, and ordinary people feeling it. Prices high, crime high, and when you complain, it feel like you are talking to yourself," he told the Guardian Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

Economic resilience meets cost-of-living pressures

The BLP defended its record by pointing to macroeconomic stability. According to the World Bank, Barbados posted real GDP growth of 4.0 percent in 2024, driven by tourism, construction and business services Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday.. The party argued it had kept its pledges "despite facing international crises, global uncertainty and volatility" from the Covid-19 pandemic, volcanic eruptions and tropical storms Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

But the cost-of-living squeeze has been felt acutely on the island of roughly 283,000 people Barbados PM Mia Mottley sweeps back into power in third election victorytheguardian.com·SecondaryOpposition leader ousted as Barbados Labour party wins all 30 seats in assembly The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has won her third election victory, with her Barbados Labour party sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, state TV reported.. Retired manager Orville Browne, who voted for the government, acknowledged the tension. "When things are rough internationally, you need somebody who could stand up and speak for the country. I trust that more than promises. So yes, I am supporting the government again, but I am expecting them to deal better with prices and crime this time," he said Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

Expert analysis: opposition viability, not policy, decided the race

Caribbean political analyst Peter Wickham said the election outcome ultimately hinged on whether voters saw the DLP as a credible alternative rather than on any single policy issue. "We've seen elections across the region where the issues were the same, cost of living and crime, and governments have won and governments have lost on different occasions," he said. "The real deciding factor is, 'is the opposition viable?', and 'do we like the government, even though we may have issues with them?'" Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

University of the West Indies expert George Belle agreed, noting that the BLP's back-to-back clean sweeps had created a structural disadvantage for the DLP. "It will take a tremendous swing to overturn the majority that the Barbados Labour party has," he said Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday..

What comes next

Mottley now faces the challenge of governing without parliamentary opposition for a third term — a situation that raises questions about democratic accountability in the small Caribbean republic, which transitioned from a constitutional monarchy to a republic in 2021. With no DLP voices in the House of Assembly, scrutiny of government policy will fall to civil society, media and the Senate's appointed members.

The prime minister's global profile — built through climate advocacy at the United Nations and championing the cause of small island developing states — has made her one of the most recognisable Caribbean leaders internationally Mia Amor Mottley on course for third term, as Barbados heads to the pollstheguardian.com·SecondaryPM and global climate action advocate looks set to secure another victory despite voter concerns over cost of living and crime Barbados prime minister and global climate action champion, Mia Amor Mottley, is on course for a third consecutive term in office, forecasts suggest, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday.. Whether that stature translates into tangible improvements in Barbadians' daily lives over the next five years will determine whether the BLP's dominance endures or whether voter apathy eventually gives way to a genuine opposition resurgence.