The countdown to 3rd July is on. Outgoing PM, Paul Bérenger, and his challenger, Navin Ramgoolam, have both changed their tone as D-Day fast approaches. They have become more nervous and seem more aggressive. Meanwhile, the two alliances have not yet published their electoral manifestos and undecided people are getting impatient. The more so, as the latter are finding it hard to make their choice.

The two parties can, however, no longer play delaying tactics with the voters that do not attend meetings and rallies as political broadcasts start on Thursday on MBC TV and radio.

Women being the most difficult section of the population to entice, the ruling alliance organised a special women’s rally during the weekend. Women represent 63% of the undecided, according to the poll conducted two weeks ago by Synthèses for l’express. A large number of women made the effort to go to Domaine les Pailles but this does not guarantee victory. It could have been a way for these women to make up their own minds about the outgoing government. The choice will still be made when they are in the polling booths.

Politicians from both sides usually express irritation at opinion polls, especially if they feel the latter unveil their weakness. Both alliances have kept circulating all kinds of rumours on the Synthèses poll results. And, of course, the reason why the survey has not been made public in full was because it revealed that their own alliance would win.

Another opinion poll by De Chazal Du Mée has only worsened the situation. While this survey was aimed at clarifying the political situation for some stakeholders (and not at being published), DCDM was once again accused of having a hidden agenda…

<B>Except for this sort of “traditional” discourse by our politicians, some change in the way they are campaigning for election has been noted. Both the tone and the speech have been modified.</B>

Except for this sort of “traditional” discourse by our politicians, some change in the way they are campaigning for election has been noted. The first obvious sign was some ten days ago when Bérenger changed from his classic suit and tie to his black leather jacket, amongst others. But the change in speech was even more palpable last week.

The outgoing PM has decided to use people’s fears to win more votes. As he insists on the foreign perils Mauritius has to be face shortly, he reminds that Ramgoolam did not achieve anything during his 1995-2000 term of office. His argument is that the population cannot entrust the country to the hands of somebody who has never shown he could help it economically or socially even when there were fewer international economic hurdles than today. He also drums in the message that his party and his partner, the MSM, have achieved 90% of their 2000 electoral manifesto.

Ramgoolam might have felt the danger Bérenger’s speech held for him. This is why he counteracted, at his press conference last Saturday, by saying that Bérenger has become “hysterical” with all the dangers he foresees.

The opposition leader looks quite nervous. Each time he speaks at rallies, he urges the public to give its three votes to his candidates (“a block vote”). So far, this is quite normal as both alliances wish to secure a comfortable majority in parliament. However, he went a step further last week: he threatened there would be no minister appointed in constituencies where all three of his candidates are not elected. We can just only wonder if prospective voters appreciate this type of blackmail.

Questioned on this issue, the opposition leader stated it was only a way of making the message clear for the electorate “because MSM-MMM candidates are begging for a vote in constituencies they consider difficult, like n°11- Rose-Belle. Electors must understand how important the ‘block vote’ is.” In fact, such behaviour only serves the interests of the outgoing government as it allows Bérenger to rap out, each time he has the opportunity, that Ramgoolam “knows that he is losing the elections – his body language is another proof of that”.

The political broadcasts on MBCTV, starting next Thursday, which are regulated to offer all parties and alliances a level playing-field should be the occasion for both alliances (and all parties presenting at least six candidates) to give hope and reassure the electorate by saying clearly what they intend to make of the votes given to them on 3rd July. However, this looks unpromising as politicians have already started to fight over the way the broadcasts have been organised. The opposition is already incensed by the fact that it learnt in the press that two out of its three proposals have been rejected. To make matters worse, it was Bérenger who announced this piece of news at his press conference instead of the authorities concerned…

The Mauritian electoral folklore is unique. This squabble is just part of the usual childish games… The electorate, however, wants and deserves more seriousness than ever!