Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, 53, has won a rare third term in office after his Labour Party sailed to victory in Wednesday's election.
The Caribbean nation's electoral commission confirmed that the Labour Party had won 34 seats, comfortably surpassing the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), which secured 29 seats, according to preliminary figures. Opposition leader Mark Golding promptly conceded defeat.
Holness campaigned on a promise to lower the income tax rate from 25% to 15%, contrasting with Golding’s plan to increase the income tax threshold.
The incumbent Prime Minister has been credited with significantly reducing the number of homicides in Jamaica, with official figures showing the murder rate at its lowest in 25 years during the first quarter of 2025. Although some criticized measures like declaring states of emergency in certain areas, many voters appreciated the increased safety which buoyed Holness's re-election chances.
Economically, the election campaign revolved around the Labour Party highlighting a low unemployment rate of 3.3%% as a key achievement. The PNP, however, accused the government of mismanagement regarding expenditures, including the high cost of second-hand school buses, while raising questions about Holness’s integrity, citing a questionable report on his income and assets declaration.
Holness refuted any allegations of wrongdoing, advocating that the PNP was merely using the report as a distraction due to their lack of substantial criticism against his administration’s records.
Despite a low voter turnout of 39.5%, an observer mission from the Organization of American States praised the calm and orderly nature of the voting process, commending the civic maturity and pride of the Jamaican electorate.
Expressing gratitude to voters, Holness termed this third term historic, affirming a commitment to a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Jamaica.
