Two ADI women candidates to lead São Tomé and Príncipe parliament
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Rádio Somos Todos Primos
Nilda da Mata, a former minister, and Vasth Santos, secretary-general of the ADI, are the sole candidates for president and vice-president of the São Tomé and Príncipe parliament. Their possible election would be a first for the two positions, in a legislature with 19 women MPs, according to Rádio Somos Todos Primos.
Former Minister of Environment, Youth and Sustainable Tourism Nilda da Mata and Action for Democratic Independence (ADI) secretary-general Vasth Santos are the only candidates for president and vice-president of the National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe, on the sole list presented by ADI, and could be elected on Tuesday, party sources confirmed to Rádio Somos Todos Primos.
Their possible election would be a first: two women at the head of the Assembly's bureau, at the start of a legislature that has 19 women MPs for the first time. Both were elected as MPs under the ADI banner, a party led by Prime Minister Américo Ramos.
ADI, the second-largest force in the 27 September legislative elections with 23 of 55 MPs, signed a parliamentary support agreement with the Independent Citizens Movement/Socialist Party/National Unity Party (MCI-PS/PUN) coalition, which has six MPs, forming an absolute majority of 29 seats. The São Tomé and Príncipe Liberation Movement (MLSTP), which won the election with 24 MPs, withdrew its candidates on Monday for the Assembly bureau, the board and the composition of its parliamentary group, according to the party's vice-president, Conceição Moreno; its president Américo Barros will address the country on Tuesday. The MCI-PS/PUN coalition will for its part only present candidates for the posts of secretaries and deputy secretaries.
This constitutive session follows the 27 September legislative elections, after which two camps claimed leadership of the next government.
