Cabo Verde's location in the Atlantic Ocean made it a strategically important trading post during the colonial era (1456-1975), including for the transatlantic slave trade and for supply ships going to Portuguese colonies. First settled by the Portuguese in 1462, Cabo Verde soon saw the growth of sugar plantations, and later, the development of rum, firearm, and cloth industries. The country gained independence in 1975 and was initially a one-party state (under the same party that ruled Guinea-Bissau, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde - PAIGC), eventually transitioning to a multiparty system in 1991.

Upon independence, the governing party adopted a sustainable human development approach, implementing policies to address economic growth, environmental issues, and socio-economic problems – namely unemployment, education, and health. Today, Cabo Verde is considered a model of political stability and boasts the highest Human Development Index achievement amongst Portuguese-speaking African countries, declining inequality, and a high adult literacy rate.

Under pressure from younger party members eager for liberalization, moves away from one-party politics led to the first free, multiparty elections in 1992. Political polarization in Cabo Verde is relatively low, with the two main political parties (African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde and Movement for Democracy) holding a duopoly on the country’s political landscape and engaging in constructive opposition, with the focus being on policy differences rather than personal or ethnic divisions. Still, Cabo Verde faces institutional and social challenges. The judicial system in Cabo Verde moves slowly, and a portion of the population perceives it as inefficient.

Today, Cabo Verde is home to a Creole community, an African minority, a small population of European descendants and a Sephardic Jewish community. Though ethnicity is not a politically salient issue and the Constitution upholds the rights of foreigners and immigrants, darker-skinned Cabo Verdeans do face discrimination and colorism. A significant social issue in the country is gender discrimination, which extends to violence against women and a wide gender pay gap, but a recent increase in gender representation in the National Assembly is encouraging.

The major issues to watch in the near future relate to political participation and Access to Justice. Recent surveys indicate that distrust in democratic institutions is high which, along with the large number of citizens living abroad, may help explain the decrease in Electoral Participation in recent years. The judiciary has responded to criticisms of the justice system by recommending, amongst other things, the expansion of alternative resolution mechanisms, increasing the number of magistrates and court officers and updating judicial salaries. These prospective reforms will be important to watch in the years ahead. 

Last updated: June 2024