Editing Mauritius (section)

=== Republic (since 1992) ===
On 12 March 1992, Mauritius was proclaimed a republic within the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] and the monarch removed as head of state.<ref name="govt" /> The last [[Governor-General of Mauritius]], [[Veerasamy Ringadoo|Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo]], became the first [[President of Mauritius|President]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bh7zAAAAMAAJ&q=The+last+Governor+General,+Sir+Veerasamy+Ringadoo+became+the+first+President|title=AAPS Newsletter|volume=1|issue= 5–19|page=20|date=1992|publisher=African Association of Political Science|language=en}}</ref> This was under a transitional arrangement, in which he was replaced by [[Cassam Uteem]] later that year.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aM0bAQAAMAAJ&q=Cassam+Uteem|title=Country Profile: Mauritius, Seychelles|page=8|date=2001|publisher=The Unit|language=en}}</ref> Political power remained with the prime minister.

Despite an improvement in the economy, which coincided with a fall in the price of petrol and a favourable dollar exchange rate, the government did not enjoy full popularity. As early as 1984, there was discontent. Through the ''Newspapers and Periodicals Amendment Act'', the government tried to make every newspaper provide a bank guarantee of half a million rupees. Forty-three journalists protested by participating in a public demonstration in Port Louis, in front of Parliament. They were arrested and freed on bail. This caused a public outcry and the government had to review its policy.<ref name="Dinan" />

There was also dissatisfaction in the education sector. There were not enough high-quality secondary colleges to answer the growing demand of primary school leavers who had got through their CPE (Certificate of Primary Education). In 1991, a master plan for education failed to get national support and contributed to the government's downfall.<ref name="Dinan" />

In December 1995, [[Navin Ramgoolam]] was elected as [[List of prime ministers of Mauritius|PM]] of the Labour–MMM alliance. In October 1996, the triple murder of political activists at Gorah-Issac Street in Port Louis led to several arrests and a long investigation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shooting death of 3 Hizbullah activists at Gorah-Issac Rd|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be75c.html|access-date=28 November 2020|publisher=United Nations High Commission for Refugees}}</ref>

The year 1999 was marked by civil unrest and riots in [[1999 Mauritian riots|February]] and then in [[1999 L'Amicale riots|May]]. Following the Kaya riots, President [[Cassam Uteem]] and Cardinal [[Jean Margéot]] toured the country and calm was restored after four days of turmoil.<ref>L'Express, Vendredi 26 février 1999</ref> A commission of enquiry was set up to investigate the root causes of the social disturbance. The resulting report delved into the cause of poverty and qualified many tenacious beliefs as perceptions.<ref>Rapport du Juge Matadeen sur les émeutes de 1999, Imprimerie du Gouvernement, 2000</ref> In January 2000, political activist Rajen Sabapathee was shot dead after he escaped from La Bastille jail.<ref>{{Cite web|title=La vérité sur la mort de mon père|url=https://www.5plus.mu/node/13712|access-date=28 November 2020|publisher=5 Plus}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

[[File:Mauriceybbrfrinwodas.jpg|thumbnail|Perceived failure of [[Government of Mauritius|the government]] to respond promptly and effectively to the [[MV Wakashio oil spill|MV ''Wakashio'' oil spill]] resulted in anti-government protests.]]

Sir [[Anerood Jugnauth]] of the MSM returned to power in September 2000 after securing an alliance with the MMM. In 2002, the island of [[Rodrigues]] became an autonomous entity within the republic and was thus able to elect its own representatives to administer the island. In 2003, the [[List of prime ministers of Mauritius|prime ministership]] was transferred to [[Paul Bérenger]] of the MMM, and Sir Anerood Jugnauth became president. Bérenger was the first Franco-Mauritian Prime Minister in the country's post-Independence history.

In the [[2005 Mauritian general election|2005 elections]], Navin Ramgoolam became PM under the new coalition of Labour–PMXD–VF–MR–MMSM. In the [[2010 Mauritian general election|2010 elections]] the Labour–MSM–PMSD alliance secured power and Navin Ramgoolam remained PM until 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|title=afrol News – Mauritius PM starts third term|url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/36129|access-date=24 July 2021|website=afrol.com}}</ref>

The MSM–PMSD–ML coalition was victorious at the [[2014 Mauritian general election|2014 elections]] under Anerood Jugnauth's leadership. Despite disagreements within the ruling alliance that led to the departure of PMSD, the MSM–ML stayed in power for their full 5-year term.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mauritius opposition wins surprise landslide victory|date=12 December 2014|url=https://www.dw.com/en/mauritius-opposition-wins-surprise-landslide-victory/a-18125376|access-date=24 July 2021|publisher=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}</ref>

On 21 January 2017, Sir Anerood Jugnauth announced his resignation and that his son and Finance Minister [[Pravind Jugnauth]] would assume the office of prime minister.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Bob|last=Minzesheimer|date=22 January 2017|title=Mauritius: PM Anerood Jugnauth to hand over to son|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38709203|access-date=22 January 2017|website=BBC News}}</ref> The transition took place as planned on 23 January 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Jean Paul|last=Arouff|date=23 January 2017|title=New Mauritius PM takes over from father, opponents cry foul|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mauritius-politics-idUSKBN15715K|access-date=23 January 2017|work=Reuters}}</ref>

In 2018, Mauritian president [[Ameenah Gurib-Fakim]] resigned over a financial scandal.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 March 2018|title=Africa's only female president to quit|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43343550}}</ref> The incumbent president is [[Prithvirajsing Roopun]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Office of the President – Home|url=http://president.govmu.org/English/Pages/default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508045133/http://president.govmu.org/English/Pages/default.aspx|archive-date=8 May 2015|access-date=22 February 2019|website=Government of Mauritius}}</ref> who has served since December 2019.

In the November 2019 [[2019 Mauritius General Elections|Mauritius general elections]], the ruling [[Militant Socialist Movement]] (MSM) won more than half of the seats in parliament, securing incumbent Prime Minister [[Pravind Jugnauth|Pravind Kumar Jugnauth]] a new five-year term.<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 November 2019|title=Mauritius elects incumbent PM for five-year term|work=Reuters.com|agency=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mauritius-election-idUSKBN1XI177}}</ref>

On 25 July 2020, Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius, leaking up to 1,000 tonnes of heavy oil into a pristine lagoon.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 September 2020|title=Mauritius takes stock of oil spill two months later|publisher=France 24|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200924-mauritius-takes-stock-of-oil-spill-two-months-later}}</ref> Its location on the edge of protected fragile marine ecosystems and a wetland of international importance made the [[MV Wakashio oil spill|''MV Wakashio'' oil spill]] one of the worst [[environmental disaster]]s ever to hit the western Indian Ocean.<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 August 2020|title=Mauritius oil spill compensation could be limited by maritime law technicality|url=https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/08/28/mauritius-oil-spill-compensation-limited-maritime-law-technicality/|access-date=24 July 2021|website=Climate Home News}}</ref>

On 10 November 2024, the opposition coalition, [[Alliance du Changement]], won 60 of the 64 seats in the Mauritian [[2024 Mauritian general election|general election]]. Its leader, former prime minister [[Navin Ramgoolam]], became new prime minister.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mauritius election: Government suffers electoral wipeout |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3pg0ey99o |work=www.bbc.com}}</ref>