His Excellency
Patrice Trovoada
Trovoda in 2015
15th Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe
Assumed office
11 November 2022
PresidentCarlos Vila Nova
Preceded byJorge Bom Jesus
In office
25 November 2014 – 3 December 2018
PresidentManuel Pinto da Costa
Evaristo Carvalho
Preceded byGabriel Costa
Succeeded byJorge Bom Jesus
In office
14 August 2010 – 12 December 2012
PresidentFradique de Menezes
Manuel Pinto da Costa
Preceded byJoaquim Rafael Branco
Succeeded byGabriel Costa
In office
14 February 2008 – 22 June 2008
PresidentFradique de Menezes
Preceded byTomé Vera Cruz
Succeeded byJoaquim Rafael Branco
Personal details
Born (1962-03-18) 18 March 1962 (age 62)
Libreville, Gabon
Political partyIndependent Democratic Action
SpouseNana Travoada

Patrice Émery Trovoada (born 18 March 1962) is a São Toméan politician who is the 15th prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe since November 2022.[1] He previously served as Prime Minister from February 2008 to June 2008, from August 2010 to December 2012 and again from November 2014 to December 2018.

Life and career

Trovoada was born in Libreville, Gabon.[2] He is the son of Miguel Trovoada, who was President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1991 to 2001,[3] and was named after Patrice Lumumba,[2] the first Prime Minister of Congo (Léopoldville). He studied in Portugal and France.[4]

He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from September 2001 to 4 February 2002.[5] He was also oil adviser to President Fradique de Menezes until Menezes fired him in May 2005, alleging that Trovoada had used his position to advance his business interests.[6]

Trovoada is Secretary-General of Independent Democratic Action (ADI), a political party.[3] He ran for President in the July 2006 presidential election, but was defeated by Menezes, the incumbent president. Trovoada was the only major opposition candidate and he received 38.82% of the vote.[7]

On 14 February 2008, Trovoada became Prime Minister; he was appointed by Menezes following the resignation of Tomé Vera Cruz.[8]

On 4 March 2008, he made a brief official visit to Gabon.[9]

Trovoada's government was defeated in a censure motion in the National Assembly on 20 May 2008 after three months in office.[10][11] The motion, introduced by the opposition Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD), received 30 votes in favor, 23 opposed, and two abstaining.[11] In June, Menezes asked the MLSTP/PSD to form a government, and it chose its leader, Joaquim Rafael Branco, as Prime Minister.[12]

After the 2010 parliamentary election, Trovoada returned as Prime Minister on 14 August 2010, but left office on 13 December 2012, after his government had lost its majority in parliament. However, the parliamentary election of 2014 again produced a majority for Trovoada's Independent Democratic Action party, with 33 of the 55 seats in the National Assembly, and he was again appointed to head a new government.

References

  1. ^ "Sao Tome: PM-elect aims for 2/5ths of government composed of women". 8 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b Albertino Francisco and Nujoma Agostinho, Exorcising Devils from the Throne: São Tomé and Príncipe in the Chaos of Democratization (Algora Publishing, 2011) p81
  3. ^ a b "De Menezes looks set for second term", AFP, August 1, 2006.
  4. ^ "Perfil: Patrice Trovoada, primeiro-ministro de São Tomé e Príncipe" (in Portuguese). Xinhua.net. 12 April 2017.
  5. ^ Rulers.org, September 2001 and February 2002.
  6. ^ "Oil minister resigns as controversy dogs award of second offshore block", IRIN, May 18, 2005.
  7. ^ Elections in São Tomé and Príncipe, African Elections Database.
  8. ^ "Investiture du nouveau gouvernement santoméen", Panapress, 15 February 2008 (in French).
  9. ^ "Le Premier ministre santoméen arrive à Libreville", Xinhua, 5 March 2008 (in French).
  10. ^ "Sao Tome MPs pass no confidence motion against government", Radio France Internationale, 20 May 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Parlamento são-tomense aprova moção de censura contra Governo"[permanent dead link], Panapress, May 20, 2008 (in Portuguese).
  12. ^ "Líder da oposição em São Tomé Príncipe designado primeiro-ministro" Archived 24 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Panapress, 12 June 2008 (in Portuguese).
Political offices Preceded byJoaquim Rafael Branco Minister of Foreign Affairs 2001–2002 Succeeded byMateus Meira Rita Preceded byTomé Vera Cruz Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2008 Succeeded byJoaquim Rafael Branco Preceded byJoaquim Rafael Branco Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2010–2012 Succeeded byGabriel Costa Preceded byGabriel Costa Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2014–2018 Succeeded byJorge Bom Jesus Preceded byJorge Bom Jesus Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2022–present Incumbent
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