Pre-Independence During the
British Mauritius period, it was the
chief minister who was the
head of government,
executive powers was vested by the governor, representative of the monarch. The only chief minister that the country had known was
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, from 26 September 1961 to 12 March 1968.
Independence The office of Prime Minister of Mauritius was created on 12 March 1968 when Mauritius became an independent state.
Queen Elizabeth II remained as head of state as
Queen of Mauritius, with her executive powers in Mauritius delegated to the
governor-general. After the
1967 general election,
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) became the first prime minister of Mauritius, he was re-elected in the
1976 general election and remained in office. In the
1982 general election,
Sir Anerood Jugnauth (SAJ) coalition was elected, and he became prime minister. However, his alliance broke up in 1983 and the
1983 general election was held, SAJ formed another alliance, and he was elected again and remained in office. In the
1987 general election, another coalition concluded by SAJ won again, and he remained in office. SAJ also won the
1991 general election and remained the prime minister of Mauritius. The new leader of the Labour Party,
Navin Ramgoolam, became the
leader of the opposition.
Republic After the country became a republic on 12 March 1992, the president became the
head of state. The president holds
prerogative powers which includes summoning, prorogation and dissolution of parliament including appointment of the prime minister and Cabinet. The prime minister has the constitutional duty to advise him/her when to exercise these prerogatives. On 12 March 1992, Mauritius became a republic, with a new constitution in 1992, the terms of the general elections were regulated to five years. Since then, every five years, elections have taken place and a new prime minister is elected. After the
1995 general election, Dr Navin Ramgoolam became Prime Minister of Mauritius for the first time. However, he lost the
2000 general election. In 2000, the prime minister's office was shared between two leaders: Sir Anerood Jugnauth spent three years as prime minister and
Paul Bérenger spent two years. After the
2005 general election, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam became the prime minister again. In the
2010 general election, he was re-elected and remained in office. The
2014 general election returned Anerood Jugnauth to the prime minister's office.
Pravind Jugnauth was appointed as prime minister by President
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim on 23 January 2017, following the resignation of his father and coalition leader Anerood Jugnauth. Pravind won the
2019 general election, which kept the
MSM in power. ==Oaths==