The center-right opposition coalition Alliance Lepep won a landslide victory in Mauritius’ general election earlier this month. In an email interview, Roukaya Kasenally, director of programs and knowledge management at the African Media Initiative, discussed Mauritian politics.
WPR: What were the major issues driving the recent election campaign, and what explains the outcome?
Roukaya Kasenally: This general election was very much monopolized by personality politics, where both coalitions emphasized the faults and failings of the key contending leaders—former Primer Minister Paul Berenger of the Militant Mauritian Movement (MMM), outgoing Labour Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and former President Anerood Jugnauth of the Alliance Lepep coalition.