The Movement for Democracy (, MpD) is a Christian democratic and liberal party in Cape Verde. Established in 1990, it was the ruling party from 1991 to 2001 and returned to power in the 2016 parliamentary election. Its members are nicknamed "" (the wind fans) in Portuguese, a reference to the party's logo. The party is serving in the opposition since the 2026 election. History The MpD was established on 14 March 1990 by Carlos Veiga after Prime Minister Pedro Pires of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV, formerly the sole legal party) allowed its creation.Richard A Lobban Jr & Paul Khalil Saucier (2007) Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cape Verde, Scarecrow Press, p. 159 The party was publicly launched in May 1990 and its first convention was held in November 1990.
In the January 1991 parliamentary elections, the first multi-party elections in the country's history, the MpD won 56 of the 79 seats in the National Assembly. In the presidential elections the following month, MpD candidate António Mascarenhas Monteiro defeated the incumbent PAICV President Aristides Pereira.
Following the MpD's second convention in January 1993, splits developed within the party, with two groups, List A and List B, emerging.Lobban & Saucier, p161 A split in 1994 led to the creation of the Democratic Convergence Party.Lobban & Saucier, p181 Despite losing six seats, the party retained its parliamentary majority in the 1995 elections, whilst Monteiro was re-elected unopposed in the presidential elections the following year.
The January 2001 parliamentary elections saw the party lose another 20 seats, as it was defeated by the PAICV. In the February 2001 presidential elections the MpD nominated Veiga, but he was defeated by the PAICV's Pires by just 12 votes in the second round of voting.Elections in Cape Verde African Elections Database
In the 2006 parliamentary elections party lost another seat and was reduced to 29 MPs. Veiga was again defeated by Pires in the presidential elections later in the year.
Despite gaining three seats in the 2011 parliamentary elections, the MpD remained in opposition. However, in the presidential elections in the same year, MpD candidate Jorge Carlos Fonseca defeated the PAICV's Manuel Inocêncio Sousa by 54–46%.
In July 2013, Ulisses Correia e Silva, the mayor of the capital, Praia, became party's new chairman, following Carlos Veiga, who stepped down after five years.
Fonseca was re-elected as president in the 2016 presidential election. The MpD also won a majority in the National Assembly during the 2016 parliamentary elections, ending fifteen years of PAICV majorities in that body and electing its leader Ulisses Correia e Silva as Prime Minister of Cape Verde.
Youth wing The party's youth wing is the Youth for Democracy (, JpD), which plays a role in political mobilization and engagement of younger members within the party.
Since 2025, the organization has been led by Líver Gomes.
Electoral history
Presidential elections ElectionParty candidate Votes %Votes %Result First Round Second Round 1991 António Mascarenhas Monteiro 70,623 73.4% - -Elected 1996 81,821 92.1% - -Elected 2001 Carlos Veiga 60,719 45.8% 75,815 50.0%Lost 2006 83,241 49.0% - -Lost 2011 Jorge Carlos Fonseca 60,887 37.8% 97,735 54.3%Elected 2016 93,01074.08% - -Elected 2021Carlos Veiga78,60342.39% - -Lost 2026Joana RosaTBDTBD - -TBD
National Assembly elections ElectionParty leader Votes %Seats+/–PositionResult1991Carlos Veiga 78,454 66.41% 56 1st1995 93,249 61.30% 6 1st2001 Gualberto do Rosário 55,586 40.55% 20 2nd2006 Agostinho Lopes 74,909 44.02% 1 2nd2011 Carlos Veiga 94,674 42.27% 3 2nd2016Ulisses Correia e Silva 122,881 54.48% 8 1st2021 110,121 50.02% 2 1st2026 84,458 44.75% 5 2nd
References
External links Official website