JOHANNESBURG — The Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius is set to conduct its national elections this Sunday, with Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth striving to secure a second term. Widely regarded as one of Africa’s success stories, Mauritius has earned a reputation for its political stability and economic development since achieving independence from British colonial rule in 1968.

Positioned approximately 2,000 kilometers off the eastern coast of Africa, Mauritius is often celebrated for its stable democratic governance. The nation has cultivated a thriving economy, primarily supported by sectors such as finance, agriculture, and tourism. Jugnauth, who has held the prime ministerial role since 2017 after succeeding his father, saw his center-left Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) head a coalition to victory in Parliament in 2019. The MSM has governed Mauritius since 2009 and has a history of forming alliances with other parties to contest elections.

In the upcoming election, the Prime Minister’s five-party People’s Alliance will face competition from the opposition, led by Navin Ramgoolam and his Alliance for Change. Voters in Mauritius will cast their ballots for 62 parliamentary seats, with the party or alliance securing the majority responsible for forming the government and appointing the prime minister. Additionally, the Electoral Supervisory Council will nominate eight lawmakers.

The World Bank has commended Mauritius for its impressive economic advancement, referring to it as a “beacon of success for sub-Saharan Africa.” The country briefly achieved high-income status in 2020, although it faced setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, Mauritius continues to maintain one of the highest living standards on the continent.

With a population exceeding 1 million, Mauritius is renowned for its stunning tropical landscapes that attract numerous tourists. The nation ranks second in Africa on the Human Development Index—following Seychelles—measuring quality of life indicators such as life expectancy, educational access, and per capita income. More than 60% of the Mauritian populace boasts Indian ancestry, and the primary language spoken is Mauritian Creole, which is rooted in French with influences from English and other languages.

According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, which is funded by the U.S. Congress, Mauritius’s political stability and effective governance have made it a favored location for foreign investment. This investment has led to significant improvements in healthcare, educational access, and a notable 22% growth in per capita income over the past ten years, as noted in their pre-election analysis.

Jugnauth’s stature was further enhanced recently when the British government agreed to hand over sovereignty of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a territory the nation has claimed for over five decades. However, the lead-up to the election has been marred by a nationwide social media ban imposed in response to a wiretapping scandal, causing some dissent against Jugnauth’s administration and stirring political unrest.

Political analyst Nicole Beardsworth from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg noted that discontent exists among some Mauritians due to allegations of misconduct in the previous 2019 election. The wiretapping controversy involved the unauthorized release of private conversations from various political, law enforcement, and business figures, prompting the government to enforce the social media blackout. Although initially intended to remain in effect until after the election, the ban has since been lifted, raising suspicions among critics regarding potential government involvement in the surveillance activities.

Reporters Without Borders, an organization dedicated to media freedom, reported that several prominent Mauritian journalists were also targets of the wiretapping and urged for a thorough inquiry into the situation. The organization described the scandal as indicative of a “widespread system of surveillance” operating within Mauritius.