There is a (relatively) new coalition government in Sao Tome e Principe. The composition of the government is interesting.

The president, Fradique Bandeira de Menezes was elected in 2001 and was re-elected in July 2006 winning more than 60 per cent of the vote at the first ballot. He represents the MDFM-PL party. This party split from the ADI party after the 2001 election and allied with the MDFM-PCD party at the 2006 legislative election.

The last legislative election was held in March 2006. According to the Sao Tome parliament website, the current state of the party groups in the National Assembly is as follows:

MDFM-PCD – 23 seats
MLSTP/PSD – 20 seats
ADI – 11 seats
NR – 1 seat

Following the 2006 legislative election, a member of the MDFM-PCD group, Tome Vera Cruz, was appointed as prime minister. There was a coalition between the MDFM-PCD and the ADI. However, in November 2007 various ministerial changes were made and in February 2008 Patrice Trovoada was appointed prime minister.

Trovoada is from the ADI party. There is still an MDFM-PCD/ADI coalition. However, Trovoada was the main candidate against President de Menezes in the 2006 presidential election. At that election he received the support of the MLSTP party, the historic opponent of the ADI and de Menezes.

So, Sao Tome is not experiencing a period of cohabitation. Representatives of President de Menezes’ party have seats in the cabinet in coalition with the ADI. However, the current prime minister is a clear political opponent of the president. Given both the president and the prime minister under the Sao Tome (2003) constitution have quite considerable powers, the situation in the islands is worth keeping an eye on.