The government coalition, Alliance de l'avenir, which consists of the Labour Party (with 30 seats in the National Assembly) and its junior partners, Mouvement socialiste militant (MSM; 12 seats), Parti mauricien social-démocrate (three seats) and Mouvement rodriguais (two seats), will be secure in office throughout the forecast period. Commanding 47 of the 69 seats in the National Assembly, the government even has the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution. The alliance agreement between the Labour Party and the MSM mandated that the latter party's leader, Pravind Jugnauth, should serve as finance minister under the continued prime ministership of the Labour leader, Navin Ramgoolam. Mr Jugnauth, who was finance minister in the 2000-05 coalition government and in opposition in 2005-10, will see a successful stint as finance minister as preparation for becoming prime minister, like his father, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, the current president, who was prime minister for 16 years.

The prospect of another five years in opposition is likely to test the unity of the Mouvement militant mauricien (MMM), and in particular the position of its leader, Paul Bérenger, whose autocratic leadership of the party he founded in 1970 has caused the departure of several senior members in recent years. The collapse of the MMM's ally in opposition, Union nationale, with the defection of many of its leading members to the MSM, will increase the pressure on Mr Bérenger.

The main issue on the political agenda will be electoral and constitutional reform. The changes being contemplated include the introduction of some form of proportional representation; amending the Best Loser System, by which additional members of parliament are appointed to increase the representation of ethnic-religious minorities in the National Assembly; establishing a Senate; and increasing the powers of the president. These are all potential grounds for political controversy. In particular, some members of ethnic-religious minorities resent the domination of the political system by the Hindu majority and are reluctant to see the Best Loser System abandoned.