Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley this morning introduced the country’s first anti-defection legislation.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, is geared is at providing a specific framework which governs sitting Members of Parliament who cross the floor of the House of Assembly. They would have to face the electorate once more via a by-election, for a new mandate from the people.
“We have before us a very simple Bill, but one that is fundamental for the stability of our democracy. The amendment which is before us is about mandate integrity,” Mottley said.
She revealed the amendment applied only to a Member of Parliament who was elected as a candidate of a political party and who then later either resigned from that party, was expelled by that party, or formally crossed the floor to another political alignment.
“It is fundamentally about protecting the voter’s choice. It does not deal with how a member votes. It does not deal with the fact that members may sometimes dissent from their political parties. It does not silence criticism of either the party or the Cabinet in any manner or form. It addresses only, Sir, a formal change in political allegiance after an election,” Mottley made clear during the second reading of the bill in the Lower House.
It was the second session of public business since the Barbados Labour Party’s emphatic 30-0 win at the polls on February 11.
Under the amended legislation, upon any sitting Member of Parliament crossing the floor, the Speaker will then make a declaration at the next sitting of the House if the declaration is resignation or expulsion, and there is a defined period of 14 days to challenge that allegation in a court of law before any vacancy takes place.
“So there are checks and balances embedded in the amendment,” The Prime Minister said.
According to Mottley, Barbados is not breaking new ground by introducing the legislation, as it is prevalent in in over 40 countries across the entire world, many of whom are Commonwealth countries.
“At its core, Sir, it basically says that if the political alignment under which you were elected changes fundamentally, the democratic response is to return that question to the electorate, go back to the voter.”
