Political Analyst Dr. Bishnu Ragoonath says while the results of the April 28th parliamentary elections were a surprise, the victory is not a landslide.
Speaking via Zoom to TTT News, he said while the United National Congress Coalition of Interest secured victory, they will not have the three-quarter majority needed to amend the Constitution.
The Political Analyst was predicting a close fight and expected the UNC to hold on to their 19 seats and gain a few in some of the key marginals, but he did not predict the PNM would lose some of their safer seats.
“What they do have, however, is that they do have the three-fifths majority. That is clear. So they have the simple majority, 50% plus one. They have a three-fifths majority, which will allow them to pass certain other types of bills. But they do not have the three-quarter majority, which is also necessary if they have to amend the Constitution on their own. To get to that majority, you need 31 seats, that three-quarter majority. As at this point in time, I am believing, I’m hearing 27, 28 for the UNC. And even if you get two more, that brings you up to 30. That still falls just 2% short of the three-quarter majority.”