Local elections 2024: Government sets elections for December 1st

The announcement was made at a press conference in Espargos by the Minister of State and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Parliamentary Affairs, Janine Lélis.

“As you know, the Prime Minister held a hearing with the political parties yesterday, and there was a consensus around the date of 1 December, which was explained to the media,” he added.

"We are complying with the legal imperative under the Electoral Code, which determines that the election date must be set by regulatory decree, 70 days in advance", he said.

The minister indicated that all conditions for holding the elections are being guaranteed through the Directorate-General for the electoral process, and that what the Council of Ministers did was “absorb the consensus that was expressed” at the level of the political parties that were consulted on this matter.

The eighth and final municipal elections in Cape Verde were held on 20 October 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, to choose the mayors of the archipelago's 22 municipalities.

The ruling Movement for Democracy (MpD) won 14 chambers, while the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (opposition) won eight.

Still in the form of a review of the Council of Ministers, Janine Lélis announced some other measures taken, such as the legislation that regulates the bases for the application of the social protection system for employees.

“This legislation establishes breastfeeding subsidies, disability subsidies, funeral subsidies and also the allocation of family allowances,” he said.

This law, according to the same source, was changed in today's Council, to include a new subsidy, which is the back-to-school subsidy.

This subsidy, according to the minister, aims to compensate for the additional burdens that all families experience every year at the start of the school year.

“Therefore, the aim here is to support families in acquiring essential school materials when they return to school (…) this subsidy will be granted to those insured and pensioners of the mandatory social protection system, and will therefore be for the descendants of those who are registered and, necessarily, for those who are already entitled to family allowance”, he explained.

The subsidy, according to the same source, will cover beneficiaries between the ages of 4 and 18, provided that they prove attendance at an educational institution from the age of 15.

“The back-to-school subsidy can also be granted to beneficiaries over the age of 18, as long as it is proven that they are attending secondary education,” he continued.

The subsidy amounts will be published later in the ordinance, according to Janine Lélis, but the values have already been determined, with a minimum ceiling of 2,500 escudos and a maximum ceiling of 4,000 escudos.

“Naturally, this measure was approved today at the Council of Ministers, but it will go through its processing, that is, it will go to promulgation and only after promulgation and publication in the official bulletin will the ordinance with these values be approved”, he concluded.

Inforpress