Ahead of the upcoming September 7, 2026 by-election for the Roseau North parliamentary constituency in Dominica, main opposition group United Progressive Party (UPP) has announced its official endorsement of United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Daniel “Danny” Lugay, marking a key step in the opposition’s push for greater cross-party collaboration to challenge the long-ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP).
The by-election was triggered by the June 12 resignation of sitting DLP parliamentarian Miriam Blanchard, who left her post representing Roseau North, creating a vacant seat in Dominica’s House of Assembly. After the vacancy opened, the electoral commission confirmed three candidates will compete for the seat: the DLP’s Ashma McDougall, independent candidate Sherman Boston, and the UWP’s Danny Lugay.
In an official public statement released September 2, UPP leadership, headed by party leader Joshua Francis, explained that the endorsement decision is rooted in the party’s broader goal of building coordinated opposition ahead of upcoming electoral contests. The UPP argues that tactical alliances and collaborative electoral strategy are critical to boosting opposition representation in Dominica’s national parliament, a shift that the party says would bring greater checks and balances to the current government.
The party has thrown its full weight behind Lugay, calling on all UPP members, registered supporters, and any Roseau North voters seeking broader political change to cast their ballots for the UWP candidate on polling day. In highlighting its support for Lugay, the UPP pointed to his track record of public service to the Roseau North community and his decades-long rooted connection to the constituency, arguing that his on-the-ground experience and deep understanding of local residents’ needs make him the strongest candidate to represent the constituency in parliament.
UPP officials also emphasized that this tactical endorsement does not signal any shift in the party’s core identity, founding principles, or long-term political vision. Instead, the party framed the move as a deliberate choice to prioritize national interests over narrow partisan gain. The endorsement, the UPP noted, is a concrete example of the collaborative approach the party believes all opposition and pro-reform groups must adopt to deliver meaningful change to Dominica.
In its statement, the UPP reiterated its call for broader unity across all opposition political parties, civil society organizations, local community leaders, and individual citizens committed to advancing democratic political change in the country. The party laid out its core policy vision, which includes strengthening representative governance in parliament, mandating greater government accountability and transparency, expanding inclusive economic opportunity across all communities, upholding the independence of democratic institutions, advancing proactive environmental stewardship, and driving long-term sustainable development for all Dominicans.