Electoral Reform: Transparency Mauritius Submits Its Proposals
Mauritius is known for its political stability and the regularity of its elections, notes Transparency Mauritius. However, according to the organization, democratic consolidation does not mean that the system is free from flaws. The first-past-the-post electoral system, the Best Loser System, the lack of legal recognition for political parties, and weak regulation of political financing pose ongoing challenges: imbalanced representation, lack of accountability, limited inclusivity, and fragile public trust.
As part of national consultations on electoral reform, Transparency Mauritius has published its proposals on its website, suggesting several concrete measures aimed at enhancing citizen participation and adhering to international democratic standards. The organization identifies six key issues: the disproportion between votes and seats, underrepresentation of women and youth, maintenance of community classifications, weak oversight between elections, insufficient regulation of parties, and erosion of trust in the system.
To address these concerns, Transparency Mauritius proposes the following concrete measures:
• Legal recognition and ongoing monitoring of political parties, with a requirement to publish audited accounts and donor registries.
• Implementation of corrective proportional representation to address imbalances between votes and seats while maintaining constituency representation.
• Gradual replacement of the Best Loser System with non-community-based mechanisms that ensure inclusivity and protection of minorities.
• Incentives to increase the representation of women and youth in elected bodies.
• Strengthening oversight of political financing during and between elections.
• Development of civic and electoral education, especially for first-time voters, and promoting collaboration among public institutions, civil society, and educational establishments.
• Transparent delimitation of constituencies based on population, geographical consistency, and respect for local communities, with regular independent reviews every five years.
• Complementary reforms: fixed parliamentary mandates, codes of conduct for deputies, anti-defection provisions, mechanisms for recall, and voting rights for citizens outside Mauritius.
Transparency Mauritius welcomes the government's openness to public dialogue and the opportunity given to civil society to propose constructive reforms. The organization emphasizes that this consultation should not be a mere one-off exercise but should evolve into a sustainable and structured process involving authorities, political actors, civil society, universities, and citizens.
Electoral reform is complex and requires trust, compromise, and a long-term vision. According to Transparency Mauritius, it must go beyond diagnosis to achieve participatory implementation guided by democratic principles rather than short-term political interests.
For the organization, modernizing the electoral system is a democratic investment: it will enhance public trust, align Mauritius with international standards, and ensure a representative, resilient, and forward-looking political system.
