Same Pledge, New Term: PM Again Promises 2025 Redistricting

Prime Minister John Briceño has reaffirmed that Belize's long-anticipated electoral redistricting will be completed by the end of 2025, following his party’s re-election on March 12, 2025, with a super-majority in Parliament.

The People's United Party (PUP) secured 26 of 31 seats, retaining the dominant position it held in its first term from November 2020 to 2025. The issue of redistricting was a major point of contention leading up to the election, with the Belize Peace Movement (BPM) and others seeking judicial intervention to compel boundary changes before voters went to the polls.

The BPM and claimants including Jeremy Enriquez took their case to the High Court, contending that Belize's current electoral boundaries undermine fair representation. The legal challenge focused on malapportionment, where urban constituencies hold disproportionately fewer voters than rural divisions, with some areas having up to 35% more electors than others—far exceeding the international standard of 15% variance. They argued that failing to rectify this imbalance before elections contravenes Section 90 of the Constitution, which mandates near-equal voter distribution across divisions.

However, the government maintained that the courts lacked jurisdiction to halt elections over redistricting concerns. During a February 12 hearing, the government’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay and supported by Godfrey Smith, asserted that judicial intervention could not override the Prime Minister’s authority to call elections or the Governor General’s role in issuing the writ of election. The legal team further contended that once the electoral process had commenced, it had to proceed without disruption.

A ruling in favor of the claimants, the government argued, would not necessarily guarantee redistricting, as any new electoral boundaries would still require parliamentary approval. They also dismissed claims that the electorate was entitled to advance notice of elections, citing the Constitution’s provision that mandates only secret voting rights but does not compel the government to pre-announce election timelines.

Prime Minister Briceño, once again, acknowledged the urgency of electoral reform but maintained that redistricting must be conducted in a structured manner. While reaffirming his commitment to completing the process by 2025, he emphasized that the Elections and Boundaries Commission will reassess previous recommendations to ensure a balanced and legally sound outcome.