Prime Minister Philip Davis and his ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) have secured victory in the Bahamas general election held on Tuesday May 12th, 2026, with opposition leader Michael Pintard conceding defeat as results pointed to a decisive win for the governing party.
The result gives the PLP a rare consecutive term in office in a country where governments have frequently alternated between the two main political parties. It is the first time in nearly 30 years that a Bahamian prime minister has won back-to-back elections.
Speaking after the vote on Tuesday, Pintard acknowledged that the outcome was not what the opposition Free National Movement (FNM) had expected.
“To the young person who voted FNM for the first time, I want to say to you that your commitment today should not leave you wondering tonight whether your vote mattered,” he said.
“You stood in line and cast a ballot for the Bahamas you believed in.”
Partial results indicated the PLP was on course to win more than 30 of the 41 seats in Parliament, extending the commanding majority it secured in the 2021 election when the party won 32 of the then 39 seats.
The election was called months ahead of the constitutional deadline by Davis, who said the move was intended to avoid disruption during the Atlantic hurricane season.
The campaign focused heavily on the rising cost of living, housing affordability, crime and immigration, with both major parties promising economic reforms and improved public services.
Among the most notable defeats was former prime minister Hubert Minnis, who contested the election as an independent candidate after failing to secure endorsement from the FNM.
Minnis, who previously led the FNM government from 2017 to 2021, had represented the Killarney constituency since 2007.
The Bahamas has historically seen frequent changes of government, with no administration managing consecutive election victories since the FNM under former prime minister Hubert Ingraham won re-election in 1997.
In a statement following the victory, Davis said voters had given his administration a mandate to continue advancing economic growth, national security and social development across the archipelago.