Kamla Persad-Bissessar has made a historic return as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago following a decisive victory in the snap general election held on April 28, 2025. Her United National Congress (UNC) party won 26 out of 41 seats in the House of Representatives, surpassing the majority threshold and ending the decade-long rule of the People’s National Movement (PNM)

 Significance of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Return to Power

First Female Prime Minister: Persad-Bissessar, who previously served as the country’s first female prime minister from 2010 to 2015, is now the only woman to have held the office twice in Trinidad and Tobago’s history.

Trigger for Election: The snap election was called after former Prime Minister Keith Rowley resigned amidst rising public dissatisfaction over economic instability, surging crime, and the fallout from global trade tensions

Political Climate: The election came after a three-month state of emergency due to escalating gang violence and homicides, reflecting widespread demand for change and reform8.

Key Campaign Promises

Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s campaign focused on:

Raising public sector salaries

Protecting pensions for senior citizens

Creating over 50,000 jobs

Reopening the children’s hospital and the state oil company Petrotrin

Providing laptops to schoolchildren

Implementing a comprehensive 60-point anti-crime plan

Election Results

The UNC’s victory was described as a landslide, with Persad-Bissessar declaring the win a mandate for change, particularly for vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and public sector workers.