Holness Wins, But Cracks Show in the JLP

The most recent election before 2025 took place on September 3, 2020. This was a landslide victory for the JLP, led by Andrew Holness, who defeated the PNP, then led by Peter Phillips. The JLP secured an overwhelming 49 seats to the PNP’s 14. This result created a significant parliamentary majority for the JLP, but within a few years, the political dynamic began to change.

Cracks started to show in the JLP’s support, with the most visible sign being the country’s local election on February 8, 2024. In a surprising turn of events, the PNP won 115 electoral divisions to the JLP’s 113. This result led many to speculate that this was the reason Prime Minister Holness waited so long to announce the September 3, 2025 general election.

While the PNP was navigating a period of transition after its 2020 loss and the subsequent selection of Mark Golding as its new party leader, the party steadily regained its footing. By 2024, it was making its presence felt by criticizing the JLP’s style of governance.

The Platforms and the Jabs

The election campaign was defined by distinct approaches from both parties. The JLP, under Andrew Holness, placed a high priority on infrastructure. Its tenure saw the completion of new highways and the advancement of several housing development programs. Their campaign focused on the promise of continued economic growth and stability.

In contrast, the Mark Golding-led PNP centered its arguments on a critique of the JLP’s record on corruption. The PNP brought up specific scandals, such as the widely discussed SSL scandal, as evidence of a need for greater transparency and accountability.

The political jabs between the parties were frequent and pointed. The JLP targeted the PNP’s past, bringing up its long history with corruption, including the Trafigura scandal, and the negative impact of the FINSAC financial crisis on the country in the 1990s. The PNP, for its part, challenged Prime Minister Holness, drawing attention to the Integrity Commission’s report and the Financial Investigations Division’s (FID) concerns regarding his asset declarations.

The Day of the Vote

On the day of the election, the JLP’s campaign and track record secured them a narrow victory. The final count was 34 seats for the JLP and 29 for the PNP. A disappointed Mark Golding conceded the race, stating, “I accept the results of these elections, and although I’m obviously very disappointed in the outcome, I think it is only correct to expressly acknowledge the success that our opponents have managed to gain today.”

Dr. Andrew Holness, in his victory speech, reflected on the nature of the win. “This was not victory by default. Make no mistake about it. This was not an easy victory. This was a fight, which took discipline and focus and we ran a decent campaign,” he said.

The JLP’s 34 seats give them a majority in the House of Representatives, which is the lower house of Jamaica’s bicameral parliament. The House is composed of 63 members of parliament (MPs), each elected to represent a single constituency. The leader of the party with the majority of seats in the House becomes the Prime Minister. The other component of parliament is the Senate, the upper house, which consists of 21 appointed senators. The main functions of the Senate include reviewing bills passed by the House of Representatives. While it can initiate bills, it cannot do so for money-related legislation.

A record number of women were elected in this election, with 19 women from both major parties securing victories. This figure surpasses the previous high of 18 in 2020, with six of the newly elected women serving as first-time MPs.

Key Takeaways

The election results highlight several key points about the current state of Jamaica.

• A Shift in Political Priorities: The election signals that many Jamaicans are moving beyond traditional party loyalties and are looking for real results. The close race suggests a growing desire for a better Jamaica, with less tolerance for a purely partisan approach to politics.
• Low Voter Turnout: At almost 40%, the voter turnout was still very low, even though one million of the estimated 3.3 million Jamaicans registered. This figure sharply contrasts with the 78.4% turnout recorded in 1980, the highest on record. The lowest turnout was in 2020 at 37.9%. This pattern indicates a persistent disengagement from the political process.
• Discontent Among the Youth: Young people, in particular, have expressed frustration with the state of the country’s economy. This includes a disappointment with a housing market where prices for homes in corporate areas are excessively high, a factor that has also influenced the country’s low birth rate.
• Healthcare Concerns: The need for a modernized healthcare system was a significant issue. The current system is outdated and has not efficiently served the population, a persistent problem that has existed under both JLP and PNP administrations.

Noteworthy Points from the Election

• Ann Marie “Action Ann” Vaz lost her seat to newcomer Isat Buchanan in Portland Eastern. Buchanan is the attorney who successfully got the murder conviction of dancehall star Vybz Kartel overturned, making his victory a surprise to many, given how active “Action Ann” was within her constituency.
• Dr. Andrew Holness will now serve his third consecutive term as Prime Minister, a feat that only he and former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson have accomplished.
• Peter Bunting, the Opposition spokesman on national security, successfully secured the Manchester South seat, defeating the JLP’s Ian Ives. This marks a political comeback for Bunting, who lost his seat in the 2020 general election.
• Dr. Norman Dunn, a former state minister in the Holness administration, was unseated by newcomer Christopher Brown.