The Barbadian government, led by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, has introduced landmark constitutional legislation aimed at preserving electoral mandates and preventing political defections. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, presented during the House of Assembly’s Second Sitting on Tuesday, establishes that parliamentarians elected under a party banner must relinquish their seats if they formally alter their political allegiance.
Prime Minister Mottley characterized the initiative as a matter of ‘mandate integrity,’ applying specifically to Members of Parliament who either resign from their party, face expulsion, or cross the floor to join another political faction after securing election. The legislation carefully distinguishes between voting conscience and formal party abandonment, explicitly protecting MPs’ rights to dissent, criticize their parties, or vote independently without penalty.
The procedural mechanism requires party leaders—either the Leader of Government Business or the Leader of Opposition Business—to formally notify the Speaker of any change in a member’s affiliation. The Speaker would then issue an official declaration during the next parliamentary session. MPs facing resignation or expulsion would retain a 14-day window to legally challenge the decision before their seat becomes vacant.
Mottley emphasized that the amendment’s fundamental principle is democratic accountability: ‘If the political alignment under which you were elected changes fundamentally, the democratic response is to return that question to the electorate. Go back to the voters.’
The proposed reform seeks to enhance governance stability and establish a transparent constitutional process for resolving political disputes. Barbados joins over 40 countries worldwide, including multiple Commonwealth nations, that have implemented similar anti-defection provisions to safeguard electoral integrity and prevent post-election party switching.