ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — Antigua Parliament Dissolution will take effect on April 1 after Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed that Parliament will be dissolved, formally setting the country on course for a general election expected later this month or shortly after.
Browne told fellow parliamentarians that a decision will be made on whether to request the Governor General to issue the Writ of Election on April 1 or during the following week. Based on that timeline, a general election is expected on April 22 or within a week thereafter.
The latest announcement builds on his earlier indication that Antigua elections within 90 days were under consideration, but the dissolution of Parliament now places the process firmly on a formal constitutional track.
Formal election process begins under Antigua Parliament Dissolution
The dissolution marks a critical transition in Antigua and Barbuda’s political cycle, triggering the legal steps required to move from a sitting Parliament to a national vote.
Browne indicated that a formal letter will be sent to the Governor General next week outlining the proposed election timetable, including the issuance of the writ, nomination day, and the date for the general election.
Under the Constitution, at least 21 days’ notice must be given after the Writ of Election is issued before a general election can be held. That requirement places the likely vote in the latter part of April, depending on when the writ is formally issued.
Timing reflects political considerations ahead of vote
The prime minister also said he had initially intended to dissolve Parliament earlier, but some of his colleagues advised allowing the main opposition United Progressive Party additional time to finalize its slate of candidates and organize its affairs.
That decision introduces a strategic element to the timing of the dissolution, as both major political parties now enter a compressed but decisive pre-election period.
With the writ still to be issued, Antigua and Barbuda is now moving into full election mode, with campaigning expected to intensify and voters preparing for a national decision that could be made within weeks.
