Barbados announces snap elections for 11 February 2026

Barbados: The government has announced snap elections to take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, following the sudden decision by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to dissolve the Parliament on January 19. Nomination Day is scheduled for Tuesday, January 27. The announcement has attracted public attention as the elections will now take place one year before its actual time in 2027. 

PM Mottley shared the news during a Barbados Labour Party (BLP) nomination meeting at Westbury Primary School. Attorney-at-law Michael Lashley KC named as the BLP candidate for the City constituency during the meeting. With his nomination, the ruling party’s campaign completed its full list of candidates for all 30 seats in the House of Assembly.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley said that the BLP has completed the nomination process in all constituencies ahead of the official campaign period. The Prime Minister and President of Barbados have the constitutional authority to call an early election. 

The Prime Minister said that the decision was the result of formal consultations with the President of Barbados, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic. She also confirmed that the President was advised that the Parliament would be dissolved on Monday, January 19 and that the wits for the election would be issued in accordance with the law.

“You must come back for a new mandate, and if you want to come back to us for a new mandate then you must,” said PM Mottley while talking to her supporters. 

Prime Minister Mottley is also running for a third term, having won both the 2018 and 2022 general elections with a 30-0. She has called for snap elections twice with over a year of her five-year term remaining. 

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which is led by Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne KC, also announced that they are ready for the upcoming election and that they have a full list of 30 candidates ready for the elections.

The upcoming election will determine the next government of Barbados and its composition of 30 member House of Assembly. Barbadians will now return to the polls on February 11, 2026, as this country heads into another important democratic exercise.