Africa-Press – Cape verde. By Andre Amaral
The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) is finalizing preparations for its 18th National Congress, scheduled for June 27-29 at the University of Cape Verde in Praia. The confirmation was given by Julião Varela, current Secretary-General of the party, who assured that “everything is ready” for the realization of what will be, in his words, a crucial moment for the political future of the organization.
The congress will be attended by around 512 delegates, coming from all the islands of the archipelago and also from the diaspora, and will take place at the Uni-CV Convention Center. This will be the first congress after the 2025 municipal process and takes place one year before the next legislative elections, which gives it additional strategic weight.
According to Julião Varela, the congress agenda is extensive and includes, among other points, the approval of the rules and internal electoral regulations, fundamental documents for the functioning of the party and to guarantee the transparency of its democratic processes.
In addition, delegates will review and vote on the activity report for the last three years, as well as the report of the National Jurisdiction and Oversight Commission, the internal body responsible for ensuring compliance with the party’s statutes and the integrity of its leaders and members.
However, one of the most anticipated moments will be the election of the new National Council, the party’s highest body between congresses, which will subsequently be responsible for electing the other executive bodies, such as the Political Commission and the General Secretariat.
Strategic motion already approved
Asked about the global strategy motion that will guide the party’s political actions in the coming years, Julião Varela confirmed that it has already been submitted and approved within the scope of the internal process that led to the election of Francisco Carvalho as the new president of the PAICV.
“The strategy motion was already approved when Francisco Carvalho was elected. During the congress, there will be room for its enrichment with the contributions of the delegates,” said the secretary-general.
This document is of particular importance, as it contains the guidelines for the party’s actions with a view to the 2026 legislative elections, as well as programmatic proposals to respond to the country’s main challenges.
Secretary General appointed by the President
Regarding the process of choosing the Secretary-General, Julião Varela clarified that there is no direct candidacy for the position. Instead, it will fall to Francisco Carvalho, as the party’s president-elect, to propose names for the various executive bodies at the first meeting of the National Council, which will be held immediately after the congress.
Possibility of open alternative lists
When asked about the possibility of alternative lists emerging for the National Council, the PAICV leader admitted that anything is possible until the start of the congress, highlighting that the party’s statutes allow delegates complete freedom to present competing proposals.
However, “I am not aware of any contacts in this regard”, he stressed, but immediately emphasized that nothing prevents any delegate from taking the initiative to present an alternative list during the congress, if they so wish.
The lists, if presented, will be subject to voting and mandates allocated based on the d’Hondt method, as stipulated by the party’s internal regulations.
Results and delegates
Remembering that Francisco Carvalho will succeed Rui Semedo as president of PAICV, after winning the internal elections held on May 25th.
Francisco Carvalho obtained 7,797 votes, which represents 61.17% of the votes cast, being elected in the first round. Nuias Silva came in second place, with 4,324 votes (33.92%), followed by Francisco Pereira, with 311 votes (2.44%), and Jorge Spencer Lima with 132 votes (1.04%).
With these results, Francisco Carvalho elected 216 delegates, Nuias Silva 92, Francisco Pereira 5 and Jorge Spencer Lima 1 delegate. Initially, 318 mandates were planned, but two remained unfilled, one for the island of Brava and the other for the diaspora sector in Angola, where not enough candidates were accepted.
The other delegates to the congress, in addition to those elected by the lists of each of the candidates, include the militants of the party’s Parliamentary Group, the presidents of the regional bodies, the presidents of the chambers and municipal assemblies affiliated with the party, the first secretaries of the sectors, the delegates elected by the PAICV Youth (corresponding to 10% of the total) and the delegates elected by the PAICV Women’s Federation (also 10%), as stated in the Party’s Statutes.
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