2021 São Toméan presidential election

The President of São Tomé and Príncipe is elected using the two-round system for a five-year term. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round of voting, a run-off is held with the top two candidates.[7] The role of president is largely ceremonial, with power in the hands of the prime minister.[8]

A total of 123,302 voters were registered,[9] of which 14,693 were abroad, including 7,378 in Portugal.[10]

Incumbent president Evaristo Carvalho did not seek re-election.[1] Former prime minister Patrice Trovoada had been mentioned as a potential candidate, despite corruption allegations;[11] he also did not file as a candidate.[1]

Elsa Garrido, president of the Social Democratic Movement – Green Party announced her candidacy on 23 December 2020.[12]

In total, 19 candidates filed to run.[1][13]

For the first round, the campaign took place in the two weeks prior to election day.[9] Most of the candidates denounced corruption in the country. In his 12 July national holiday speech, outgoing president Evaristo Carvalho denounced the practice of "bathing" ("banho"), or buying votes, as "exploitation of the poverty of citizens.[15][10] The Union for Progress and Change in Principe, the majority party in the Príncipe island assembly since its founding in 2006, did not support a candidate.[16]

The second round was delayed while the courts considered a petition filed by third-place candidate Delfim Neves alleging fraud in the first round, which was ultimately rejected.[17] The campaign for the second round began on 26 August and lasted ten days plus. On the first day of the campaign, Minister of Health Edgar Neves warned of the exponential increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 and that a third wave of the pandemic was beginning in the country.[18]

According to the president of the National Electoral Commission, Fernando Maquengo, the campaign took place in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.[19] The election was marked by protective measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Gatherings were forbidden and social distancing was mandatory,[9] instructions that were not always respected by the candidates.[19]

Four election observation missions were sent, from the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States (including representatives from Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Cameroon)[20] the United States, and Japan.[9] In a preliminary report, African Union observers praised the "peaceful and calm environment" in which the second round took place.[21]

Voting took place at 304 polling stations,[20] with 42 polling stations for overseas voters.[20]

The second round was won by Carlos Vila Nova of the country's largest opposition party, Independent Democratic Action, who received 58% of the vote, defeating Guilherme Posser da Costa of the ruling MLSTP–PSD.[5] Turnout for the second round was around 65%.[6] The runoff was required after neither candidate reached 50% of the vote in the first round on 18 July, with Vila Nova receiving 39.5% and Posser da Costa 20.7%.[8]

Vila Nova said, "With the announcement of the preliminary results, I won those elections in a clear way and this result allows me to be considered as the elected President."[22]

The prime minister of Sao Tome and Principe, Jorge Bom Jesus, congratulated the President-elect, Carlos Vila Nova, on his victory in the second round of the presidential election last Sunday and said he was available for “all collaboration and loyalty”.[23]

Vila Nova was also congratulated by the Angolan president João Lourenço,[24] and the Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[25]