Politics & Government Guide
Political system, governance structure, stability indicators, and democratic institutions in Cape Verde
Cape Verde maintains a stable semi-presidential democracy with competitive elections and power alternation between the center-right MpD and center-left PAICV. The MpD holds a parliamentary majority under Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva since 2016, while President José Maria Neves of PAICV was elected in 2021. Recent reforms emphasize judicial improvements, open government, and administrative transparency.
Political Stability
Good
Democracy Index
Good
Government Type
Semi-presidential representative democratic republic
Legal System
Civil law system
Head of State
President José Maria Neves(since 2021)
Head of Government
Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva(Movement for Democracy)since 2016
Political Indicators
Political Stability
Scale: 0-1
Stable
Freedom House (2024)
Democracy Index
Scale: 0-10
Full Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit (2024)
Legislature
Major Political Parties
Center-right
Center-left
Voting Rights
Universal suffrage for citizens aged 18 and over
Recent Developments
- Established new Criminal Investigation Court and district court in São Miguel in 2025 to improve judicial access
- Launched Open Government Partnership action plan 2023-2025 focusing on open data, budget transparency, and open justice
- Passed Law on System of Access and Reuse of Documents and Administrative Information in 2022
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