Andrew Holness Wins Rare Third Term as Jamaican Prime Minister
Labour Party takes 34 seats to Opposition's 29 in preliminary results; PNP leader concedes
Andrew Holness won a rare third term as Jamaica's prime minister after his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) secured a narrow victory in Wednesday's parliamentary election, the country's electoral commission said.
Preliminary results showed the JLP captured 34 seats in the 63-member House of Representatives, while the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) won 29. PNP leader Mark Golding conceded defeat after the commission released the figures.
Holness, 53, has led Jamaica since first taking office in 2016 and guided the country through two previous terms. He campaigned on a pledge to cut the top income tax rate from 25% to 15%, a central part of the JLP platform aimed at boosting economic growth. Golding had proposed raising the income tax threshold as his party's approach to easing burdens on lower-income earners.
Crime and public safety were prominent issues in the campaign. Official figures show Jamaica's murder rate fell to its lowest level in 25 years in the first quarter of 2025, a development many voters attributed to Holness's policies. Critics pointed to heavy-handed measures, including states of emergency in some regions, as factors in the decline.
The electoral commission characterized the seat totals as preliminary. Once final results are confirmed, Holness is expected to continue in office and form a new government. The outcome gives the JLP a slim parliamentary majority that will shape the next government's ability to enact its proposed tax and economic policies.
Analysts said the vote reflected a mix of voter priorities, with public security gains and tax proposals both influencing decisions at the polls. International observers and domestic stakeholders typically await official certification of results before commenting in detail on the electoral process.
Holness's third term is uncommon in Jamaican politics, where leadership changes have tended to alternate between the two major parties. With the PNP conceding, the immediate post-election period will focus on transition arrangements, legislative priorities and how the new government addresses economic challenges cited by voters during the campaign.
The electoral commission will publish final tallies and any official statements detailing turnout and irregularities, if any, as it completes its count. Meanwhile, both parties will assess the narrow result and its implications for governance and policy direction over the coming parliamentary term.