Antigua and Barbuda set for snap election after Parliament dissolution

Antigua and Barbuda: The Parliament was dissolved on 1st April, 2026 following the announcement of Prime Minister Gaston Browne. The proclamation was made by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams.

The dissolution of the parliament has set the stage for upcoming general elections which are expected to take place later in April 2026. Browne addressed the fellow parliamentarians by stating that the decision will be made on whether to request the Governor General to issue the Writ of Election on April 1 or within the following week.

According to the Constitution, at least 21 days’ notice must be given after the Writ of Election is issued before a general election is held. Depending on this timeline, the general elections are anticipated to take place on April 22, 2026 or within a week thereafter.

A delay was witnessed during the dissolution process of the Parliament. Initially, the PM had thought of dissolving the Parliament much sooner, however some colleagues of the PM recommended allowing the main opposition, the United Progressive Party some excess time to finalize their candidates and organize its affairs.

Clearing the air about the timeline of the general election, PM Gaston Browne specified that a formal letter will be sent to the Governor General during the first week of April. The letter will outline the proposed timeline which will include the issuance of the Writ, nomination day and the date for the general election.

The snap election of 2026 is in action after 3 years since the January 2023 election. In the 2023 election the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party won nine seats in comparison to the opposition United Progressive Party’s seats.

Gaston Browne became the face of Antigua and Labour Party on June 13, 2014 with a landslide victory, winning 14 out of the 17 seats. Being the youngest Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, he promised to transform the nation into an economic powerhouse. In the 2018 general election, he again won with a landslide victory followed by his third term in power in 2023 general elections.