{"id":2285,"date":"2026-07-19T06:17:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T06:17:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnnglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/19\/sao-tome-and-principe-heads-to-polls-in-tense-presidential-election\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T06:17:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T06:17:05","slug":"sao-tome-and-principe-heads-to-polls-in-tense-presidential-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/?p=2285","title":{"rendered":"S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe heads to polls in tense presidential election"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"bfb63f9c-1561-4669-bd38-5cde37260e3d\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Carlos Vila Nova, the president of S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe, speaks at a podium\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cabb6b6ec0260e29983e6e7970a8280df64ed7ed\/842_0_3625_2902\/master\/3625.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372.256551724138\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Vila Nova represented the Ac\u00e7\u00e3o Democr\u00e1tica Independente party when he was elected as president five years ago.<\/span> Photograph: Francis Kokoroko\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"bfb63f9c-1561-4669-bd38-5cde37260e3d\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Vila Nova represented the Ac\u00e7\u00e3o Democr\u00e1tica Independente party when he was elected as president five years ago.<\/span> Photograph: Francis Kokoroko\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe heads to polls in tense presidential election<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>Incumbent Carlos Vila Nova hopes to defeat his former party and secure second term as independent<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Voters in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/sao-tome-and-principe\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe<\/a> go to the polls for a presidential election on Sunday as one of Africa\u2019s least populous countries seeks to burnish its democratic credentials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">According to the National Election Commission, about 142,000 people are registered to vote in the tiny African state\u2019s elections, approximately 15% of whom live in the diaspora.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, the island country off Africa\u2019s west coast has built a solid reputation for peaceful, competitive elections. But this year\u2019s vote comes amid a tense political atmosphere and a lingering constitutional crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The president, Carlos Vila Nova, is running for a second term as an independent, rather than as the candidate for the ruling Ac\u00e7\u00e3o Democr\u00e1tica Independente (ADI), whom he represented when he was elected in 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The tensions between Vila Nova and his former party began in January last year when he dismissed the prime minister, Patrice Trovoada. Trovoada\u2019s replacement, the former justice minister Ilza Amado Vaz, resigned after just three days, before the current holder, Am\u00e9rico Ramos, took office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">On Sunday, Vila Nova will be running against four other candidates including the ADI parliamentary leader, Nito D\u2019Abreu. Another former prime minister, Jorge Bom Jesus, attempted to withdraw his independent candidacy, but missed the deadline and remains on the ballot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The main opposition party, the Movement for the Liberation of S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe, is now part of a broad coalition backing the incumbent president, despite being staunch ADI opponents. Meanwhile, an ADI faction led by Ramos is backing D\u2019Abreu. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the election will go on to a second round.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"6fffb602-f278-4b6b-84fb-1d9a14cf581a\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A view across a hilly coastline covered in lush vegetation\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f17ec04b03c5e999a468b229a919f45e548b4471\/0_0_3872_2581\/master\/3872.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.62835743801656\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"6fffb602-f278-4b6b-84fb-1d9a14cf581a\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">A view across the island of Pr\u00edncipe.<\/span> Photograph: Constantino Leite\/Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The businessman Domingos Monteiro, known as \u201cNino\u201d, who has been president of the S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9an Football Federation since 2015, was disqualified after the constitutional court ruled he did not meet the eligibility requirements. Monteiro was born on the island, but his parents never became naturalised citizens after moving from Cape Verde where they were born.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe constitutional court is violating the principle of equal rights \u2026 It is time for descendants born in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe to say no to discrimination, to the culture of xenophobia and persecution,\u201d said Monteiro.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">For voters, priorities include tackling government corruption, high inflation, severe youth unemployment, chronic fuel shortages, and frequent blackouts. Rivals of Vila Nova are hoping this will keep him from a second term and propel them to the presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Corruption in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe \u201cis the greatest catastrophe the country has experienced in this half-century [of independence\u201d, D\u2019Abreu said at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jornaldeangola.ao\/noticias\/10\/mundo\/680920\/corrup%C3%A7%C3%A3o-gera-consenso-entre-candidatos-presidenciais-de-s%C3%A3o-tom%C3%A9\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">presidential debate<\/a> on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The country is seen as a trusted western ally for security and maritime trade in the Gulf of Guinea, one of the world\u2019s biggest maritime piracy hotspots. It also has offshore oil deposits that make a significant contribution to its economy. Observer missions from the European Union, G7+ and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries are on the ground to monitor the polls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/sao-tome-and-principe\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Sao Tome and Principe<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/africa\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Africa<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=S%C3%A3o%20Tom%C3%A9%20and%20Pr%C3%ADncipe%20heads%20to%20polls%20in%20tense%20presidential%20election&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jul\/19\/sao-tome-and-principe-presidential-election?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Fjul%2F19%2Fsao-tome-and-principe-presidential-election&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=world\/2026\/jul\/19\/sao-tome-and-principe-presidential-election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vila Nova represented the Ac\u00e7\u00e3o Democr\u00e1tica Independente party when he was elected as president five years ago. Photograph: Francis Kokoroko\/Reuters View image in fullscreen Vila Nova represented the Ac\u00e7\u00e3o Democr\u00e1tica &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/?p=2285\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}