General election campaigning expected to intensify as Parliament starts summer recess

The Jamaican Parliament is now on summer recess, freeing lawmakers to intensify their campaign activities ahead of a widely anticipated general election expected by September.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have adjourned “for a date to be fixed,” signalling the formal start of Parliament’s annual summer break. “The public is advised that the Parliament has formally commenced its summer recess,” read a notice issued Monday by Gordon House.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness holds the constitutional authority to announce the date of elections.

Under the Constitution, Parliament must be dissolved no later than the fifth anniversary of its first sitting following the last general election. In that case, elections must then be held within three months of the dissolution.

However, the conventional practice has been to call elections before the five-year term runs its full course.

The last general election was held on September 3, 2020, with the new Parliament sitting for the first time on September 15 of that year.

In an election-related judgment last month, Justice Lorna Shelly-Williams, the second most senior judge on the Supreme Court, noted that under the Constitution, the current Parliament "must be dissolved on or before the 14 September 2025"

In recent weeks, the tempo of political activity has increased, with both major parties holding public events, announcing policy proposals, and stepping up grassroots mobilisation.

The summer recess now frees Members of Parliament and senators from legislative duties, giving them more time to engage with constituents and campaign across the island.

The upcoming election is expected to be fiercely contested, as the governing Jamaica Labour Party seeks a third consecutive term while the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) pushes for a return to office amid concerns over economic growth, crime, and governance.

The JLP won 49 of the 63 seats in the House of Representatives in the last election. The PNP won the remaining 14.

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