Political Development: Parliament and Political Parties

This chapter examines the political development of Trinidad and Tobago (TT) with a focus on the development of political parties and the country’s parliamentary system. The country’s political structure follows a single-member constituency with a first-past-the-post voting system, rooted in an ethnic-based party setup. Despite fair elections and civil liberties, TT’s political culture remains underdeveloped, leading to limited political engagement, alongside a flawed democracy, as highlighted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Flawed democracies maintain free and fair elections and basic civil liberties but grapple with governance weaknesses, an underdeveloped political culture, and low political engagement. The political landscape is largely shaped by two parties, PNM and UNC, historically gathering support along racial lines rather than ideological or class-based differences. This trend, evident in youth voting patterns, hints at the persistence of race-driven politics. While the PNM initially held power after independence, electoral shifts have occurred since the 1990s, revealing an evolving political dynamic. In fact, marginal seats have become pivotal, indicating a more competitive electoral arena and potential shifts in voter preferences, especially in coalition scenarios.