The prime minister, usually the leader of the majority party in the parliament, is appointed by the governor-general, who represents the British monarch as the largely ceremonial head of state. Ralph Gonsalves remained prime minister following the victory of his incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP) in the 2020 legislative elections, which were considered free and fair.

The constitution provides for the direct election of 15 representatives to the unicameral House of Assembly. In addition, the governor-general appoints six senators to the chamber: four selected on the advice of the prime minister and two on the advice of the opposition leader. All serve five-year terms.

The ULP won its fifth consecutive electoral victory in November 2020, taking nine seats. Although the party increased its majority by one seat, it won around 500 fewer votes than the New Democratic Party (NDP), which won six seats. It was the first time since 1998 that the party winning the most votes did not win the most seats. Voter turnout was 67 percent.

Electoral laws are generally fair and impartially implemented. Ahead of the 2015 elections, legislators passed an election law amendment that removed over 20,000 names from the voter lists. The Organization of American States (OAS) election monitoring mission welcomed the change, but recommended continuous updating and verification processes, which have not been enacted. The mission also called for better standardization of voting procedures across polling sites.

Political parties can organize freely. While there are a number of smaller political parties in the country, only the ULP and NDP have won parliamentary seats since 1998. The first-past-the-post electoral system has contributed to this pattern, but there are also concerns that unregulated private campaign financing puts smaller parties at a disadvantage. The limited state funding that is available goes only to parties represented in the previous parliament.

The country has experienced multiple peaceful transfers of power between rival parties after elections, including two since it gained full independence in 1979. The ULP has been in government since 2001, but it has had only a narrow majority over the opposition NDP since 2010.

The political choices of candidates and voters are generally free from interference by extrapolitical forces. However, the OAS raised concerns in 2015 about the lack of transparency regarding party and campaign financing. Little has been done since to address these concerns.

All citizens are formally entitled to full political rights and electoral opportunities, but women remain significantly underrepresented in the legislature and in politics generally. In its report on the 2015 elections, the OAS noted “pervasive reluctance” on the part of potential women candidates to participate in harsh political campaigns. No women were elected to the House of Assembly in the 2015 or 2020 elections. The ULP selected women to hold the legislative speakership and deputy speakership after the 2020 elections, and there were four appointed women senators as of 2023.

LGBT+ people are marginalized, and this affects their ability to engage fully in political processes. There are no openly LGBT+ legislators.

The population is largely Afro-Caribbean and of mixed African-European descent, and most identify as Protestant or Roman Catholic. Members of these groups and others can engage in the political process. The small Rastafarian community does not engage fully in political affairs.

The elected prime minister, cabinet, and House of Assembly members determine the policies of the government without improper interference from unelected entities.

The independent judiciary and media provide checks on government corruption. However, there is no specialized national anticorruption agency, and allegations of petty corruption continue to be reported.

The government generally operates with openness and transparency. Nevertheless, freedom of information legislation that was passed in 2003 has yet to be implemented, and there is no active legislation requiring government officials to disclose assets, income, or gifts. Audit reports are a number of years behind schedule.

In 2022, the government announced that a 2018 poverty assessment report, which allegedly showed that poverty had increased in the preceding decade, would not be released; a new study was reportedly planned for 2025. A United Nations report released in early 2023 stated that in 2019–21, around 7 percent of the country’s population was undernourished and over 30 percent experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.

The constitution guarantees freedom of expression and communication, which are usually upheld in practice. However, in early 2023, journalists reported facing escalating threats and aggression from members of the public while covering cases at the Serious Offences Court and Kingstown Magistrate’s Court. In August, Prime Minister Gonsalves alleged that some journalists were being paid by foreign political operatives to plant stories in order to destabilize the country. No evidence was provided to support the claim.

The state owns the main local broadcaster, and concerns have been raised about whether it grants fair access to the political opposition. However, several private newspapers operate consistently, and consumers also have access to foreign media and online outlets.

Journalists remain subject to criminal and civil defamation laws, and the 2016 Cybercrime Act broadened the definition and scope of defamation to include online publications; violations of its often vaguely worded provisions can carry a fine of as much as EC$500,000 (US$185,000) and up to seven years’ imprisonment. In July 2023, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court overturned a 2021 civil defamation ruling against a journalist and news website over their reporting on an individual involved in a criminal case; the new judgment found that the journalist was protected by qualified privilege, having reported without malice what he believed to be accurately recorded statements made in court.

Freedom of religion is constitutionally protected and respected in practice.

Academic freedom is generally upheld.

There are no significant restrictions on individuals’ ability to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics. However, those who publicly criticize politicians or state officials sometimes face the threat of defamation suits.

Freedom of assembly is constitutionally protected and generally upheld in practice, though protests occasionally feature minor acts of violence or arrests.

Nongovernmental organizations are able to operate freely.

The constitution protects the right to form or join trade unions and other such associations. Unions are permitted to strike and engage in collective bargaining. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination and dismissal for engaging in union activities. The right to collective bargaining is generally upheld in practice.

The judiciary generally operates independently. Judges are appointed through an impartial Judicial and Legal Services Commission and cannot be dismissed arbitrarily. The country is subject to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and recognizes the original jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice, though the London-based Privy Council remains the final court of appeal.

Amid concerns about violent crime, the government has recently placed some public pressure on the judiciary to improve its efficiency in handing criminal cases, with Prime Minister Gonsalves suggesting in April 2023 that judges should “start controlling their courts again” and curb defense lawyers’ delaying tactics.

There is due process in civil and criminal matters. Detainees and defendants are guaranteed a range of legal rights, which are mostly respected in practice. However, there is a significant case backlog, which leads to prolonged pretrial detention.

The population is free from war and other acute threats to physical security. However, the homicide rate is high, with 55 homicides reported in 2023. This represented a new record and was up significantly from a recent low of 19 in 2019, despite analyses suggesting that other types of crimes were trending downward. Experts from the Caribbean’s Regional Security System and Canadian law enforcement agencies were brought in to assist with murder investigations during the year, and the prime minister repeatedly raised the possibility of reinstating the death penalty.

In July 2023, the government enhanced security measures for Cuban medical professionals working in St. Vincent after two separate attacks in a fortnight. Prime Minister Gonsalves hinted that foreign “political operatives” may have played a role in the incidents, though he provided no evidence to support the claim.

Prison conditions have improved since a new correctional facility was opened in 2012, but the old prison in Kingstown is still in use and features substandard conditions. Insufficient staffing levels are also a concern.

Score Change: The score declined from 4 to 3 due to a multiyear increase in homicides.

The constitution prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and other such categories, but sexual orientation and gender identity are not similarly protected. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal and carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison. While the law is rarely enforced, societal discrimination against LGBT+ people persists. The country marked LGBT+ Pride month in June 2023 with a series of public events, but a July report from Human Rights Watch criticized bias-motivated violence and widespread discrimination in St. Vincent as well as the laws that criminalize gay sex.

Women reportedly face sexual harassment in the workplace, which is not specifically addressed by law.

There are no significant restrictions on freedom of movement, and individuals can freely change their place of residence, employment, and education.

Public-sector employment was affected by a 2021 government mandate requiring some workers to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. It was reported that over 500 workers lost their jobs after refusing to comply. In 2022, the High Court allowed those dismissed to file a lawsuit against the state, and in March 2023 it ruled that the mandate was unlawful. A government appeal was pending at year’s end, but many unvaccinated employees returned to work in the public sector.

Individuals are generally free to own property and to establish and operate businesses.

Individual rights with respect to personal status matters like marriage and divorce are generally protected by law, though same-sex marriage is not recognized. The Domestic Violence Act of 2015 provides for protective orders and offers other tools and resources to victims of domestic violence. However, such violence remains a serious and widespread problem, as does sexual assault.

The law provides safety and other basic protections against labor exploitation, and these are typically upheld, though there are some reports of inadequate enforcement. The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2011 criminalizes forced labor and sex trafficking, and the government has increased its efforts to investigate violations and improve prevention and victim protection, but it has yet to secure any trafficking convictions.