Mauritius

Historically, the islands were uninhabited; in 1721, the French East India Company occupied the islands, brought slaves from the African continent, and established sugar plantations. In the 19th century, Mauritius came under the control of the British, from whom the country received its independence in 1968. However, it has been embroiled in a 60-year dispute with the United Kingdom over who has sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago, claimed by the UK to be part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Mauritius (and Chagossians) have challenged Britain’s claim to Chagos as unlawful and incomplete decolonisation.  

Identity shapes politics in Mauritius, although there was no indigenous population before colonial settlement. Mauritians are diverse, and there are Indian, Creole, Chinese, and French communities. Hindus make up the largest group (about 48.5 per cent of the population), and the remainder of the population includes Catholics (26.3 per cent), Muslims (17.3 per cent), and others (7.9 per cent). The caste system defines the social structures of most Hindu Mauritians, although less rigidly than in India. Religion and casteism are reflected in, for example, political rhetoric, campaigning, and party organisation; most prime ministers have been Vaishya Hindu. Mauritians of Indian origin are dominant in politics and business, and many wealthy Indians continue to move to Mauritius each year. Mauritian Creoles, who reflect mixtures of African, French and Indian origins, are regularly subject to discrimination and often live in segregated housing. Although progress has occurred on women’s rights issues, women still only hold 20 per cent of parliamentary seats and regularly face gender-based violence and poor access to family planning. The LGBTQIA+ community in Mauritius continues to be subjected to a sodomy ban. 

Mauritius has long been lauded for its strong democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law and positive business environment. Since 2019, critics have pointed to electoral irregularities, dissatisfaction with dynastic governance, and corruption as priorities for the government to address. Corruption in government and among police is a significant concern among citizens. Although protest is uncommon in Mauritius, there have been recent (2021 and 2022) protests against corruption and fraud as well as the government’s response to an oil-spill. The forceful police response to such peaceful protests in 2021 caused concern among both international and local experts. Furthermore, there were protests in 2022 against rising costs of living in a Creole-dominant area, Camp-Levieux, that has been hard-hit by inflation and price increases. 

Moving forward, it will be important to watch the government’s responses to the areas that have come under scrutiny, especially proposed election reforms. It will also be important to watch Freedom of Assembly, which has been impacted by reports of police brutality over the last few years. Other important issues that will play a role in Mauritian politics going forward include social group inequality and gender inequality.