February 13, 2026
As Barbados marks 75 years of universal voting rights, Mottley vowed to protect democracy and strengthen the economy.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottle was elected for a third term as part of a historic sweep, with her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) taking all 30 seats in the House of Assembly, The Guardian reports.
Unseating opposition leader, Ralph Thorne, Mottley’s BLP secured all the available seats after grabbing voter support by building one of the strongest global profiles of any Caribbean leader.
With Barbados celebrating 75 years of having the right to vote without being property owners, Mottley guaranteed to take care of the island’s democracy and promised to target the economy, the cost of living, and the country’s place on the world stage.
“Our mission first and foremost is to stop poor people from being poor and to remove injustice wherever it exists to create opportunities for people,” she said.
According to Caribbean National Weekly, Mottley, 60, is the second leader in Barbados history to serve over two consecutive terms. Thorne, who was elected in 2022 first as a member of BLP before moving to the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), labeled the results as disappointing but said, “people have spoken, and we respect their voices.”
Thorne was one of them. He failed to cast a ballot since he was not registered in the district where he was living and competing.
As the Caribbean’s easternmost country and home to roughly 283,000 people, voting officials have highlighted discrepancies in the voting register prior to elections. The head of the Caribbean Community’s electoral observation mission and opposing candidates felt it could push for a delay, but the electoral commission maintained that citizens had enough time to correct any issues and that the process was legitimate.
Mottley took the oath of office during an intimate ceremony attended by President Jeffrey Bostic, family members, and other invited guests Feb. 12. On X, she continued her celebration.
“Today I was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Lt. Col. The Most Hon. Jeffrey Bostic. I accept this mandate with humility, committed to every Bajan. I thank God, the BLP, my constituents, family & the people for your trust,” she wrote.
“Now is the time to come together as one nation.”
Her leadership seems to be supported worldwide, with well wishes coming from social media users in Nigeria, Uganda, and Liberia.. She thanked her supporters on Facebook, saying she is “fully committed to hono[u]ring it through service and hard work.”
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