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Lobine: Mauritians Are Wrong to Blur Politics and Governance
Nouveaux Démocrates leader Khushal Lobine says elected governments must govern, not campaign — and raises public concerns in Parliament, not privately.
By MauritiusNews Editorial3 days ago👁 0 views
Khushal Lobine, leader of the Nouveaux Démocrates (New Democrats) party, used a television appearance on Thursday 17 July to draw a clear line between political allegiance and the responsibility of governing — and to push back at what he sees as a common misunderstanding among Mauritians.
Appearing on the debate programme *L'heure du débat* on ION News, Lobine was asked whether he had privately raised public expectations with Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. His answer was blunt: whatever he has to say, he says it in Parliament — the proper forum for political accountability.
**Governing is not campaigning**
Lobine's broader message was a critique of what he described as a mistake the Mauritian public repeatedly makes: confusing electoral politics with the act of governing.
"Once a team has been elected and taken government, you take off your political hat and jacket, put them to one side, and you govern the country," he said, speaking in Mauritian Kreol during the broadcast.
His point is that an electoral alliance — a coalition of parties that campaign together to win votes — is a political arrangement. But once that alliance wins power and forms a government, it must transition into something different: a governing body that serves all citizens, not just its supporters or coalition partners.
Lobine suggested Mauritians too often expect the government to continue behaving like a political campaign, rewarding allies and managing optics. He argued that mindset is an error — one that holds the country back.
**Who is Khushal Lobine?**
Khushal Lobine leads the Nouveaux Démocrates, a smaller political party in Mauritius's multi-party landscape. Smaller parties in Mauritius frequently enter electoral alliances with the two dominant blocs — the Labour Party (PTr) led by Navin Ramgoolam, and the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) led by Pravind Jugnauth — in order to win seats under the country's first-past-the-post constituency system.
The current government, led by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, came to power following the November 2024 general election, ending a decade of MSM-led government.
**What this means**
Lobine's comments reflect a wider debate in Mauritius about political accountability and whether coalition governments can genuinely shift from campaign mode to governing mode. His insistence on raising concerns through Parliament — rather than backroom conversations with the Prime Minister — signals his preference for institutional transparency over informal influence.
For ordinary Mauritians, the message is pointed: holding a government to account means engaging with Parliament and public debate, not expecting political parties to negotiate quietly behind closed doors.
Source: ION News
Khushal Lobine is the leader of the Nouveaux Démocrates (New Democrats), a smaller political party in Mauritius. Like many minor parties, the Nouveaux Démocrates typically contest general elections as part of broader electoral alliances with one of Mauritius's two main political blocs.
What is the difference between a political alliance and a government in Mauritius?−
In Mauritius, parties form electoral alliances before general elections to maximise their chances of winning seats under the constituency-based voting system. Once elected, those parties form a government. Lobine's argument is that governing requires setting aside party-political interests and focusing on the national interest — a distinction he says Mauritians often overlook.
How does Khushal Lobine raise concerns with the Mauritius government?−
Lobine has stated publicly that he raises public concerns through Parliament, rather than in private conversations with Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. He views Parliament as the appropriate and transparent forum for political accountability in Mauritius.
