Coalition of Independents
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Coalition of Independents | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | COI |
| Party Leader | Lincoln Bain |
| Deputy Leader | Dr. Veronica McIver |
| Founded | April 2021 |
| Ideology | Social liberalism Populism |
| Colours | Aquamarine, Gold & Black |
| Slogan | IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW BAHAMAS |
| House of Assembly | 1 / 39 |
| Website | |
| Coalition Of Independents Website | |
The Coalition Of Independents (abbreviated COI) is a populist and social liberal party in the Bahamas. Lincoln Bain is the leader of the party.
History
[edit]Bahamian Evolution was co-founded by Lincoln Bain, Charlotte Green, and Cara Ellis. The organization gained national attention through documentaries Bain wrote, produced, and directed. These documentaries sparked widespread discussions about the value and potential of the country's natural resources and sparked public concern. [1]
In March 2021, Bishop Walter Hanchell invited independent candidates and third-party representatives to discuss forming a coalition. The group agreed to collaborate, selecting a name and drafting a mission statement. Lincoln Bain was elected as the leader. The Coalition of Independents was officially launched in April 2021.[2]
In April 2025, the Coalition of Independents (COI) achieved a significant milestone when Iram Lewis, the Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama, announced his decision to withdraw from the Free National Movement (FNM). This move made Lewis the first sitting MP to represent the COI, marking a historic moment for the party. Lewis cited "an erosion of trust, lack of support, and a sense of unease over the direction his former party has taken as elections draw nearer".[3]
2021 Electoral results
[edit]Despite being a newly formed party, the COI contested 32 out of 39 seats and secured 6.2% of the total votes, amounting to nearly 8,000 votes, outperforming the more established Democratic National Alliance (DNA).[4] Despite not winning any seats, the party continues to campaign on its platform of empowering Bahamians and advocating for equitable access to resources.
 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
| Progressive Liberal Party | 66,407 | 52.59 | 32 | +28 | |
| Free National Movement | 46,030 | 36.45 | 6 | –27 | |
| Coalition of Independents | 8,388 | 6.64 | 1 | 1 | |
| Democratic National Alliance | 1,497 | 1.19 | 0 | 0 | |
| United Coalition Movement | 590 | 0.47 | 0 | New | |
| Kingdom Government Movement | 530 | 0.42 | 0 | New | |
| Grand Commonwealth Party | 260 | 0.21 | 0 | New | |
| Bahamas Constitution Party | 120 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | |
| Righteous Government Movement | 61 | 0.05 | 0 | New | |
| Faith that Moves Mountains Party | 18 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
| Bahamian Way Forward Movement | 11 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
| Independents | 2,359 | 1.87 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 126,271 | 100.00 | 39 | 0 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 194,524 | – | |||
| Source: CLEA | |||||
References
[edit]- ^ "More than 200 supporters flood Rawson Square in natural resources protest". 19 November 2020.
- ^ "About Lincoln Bain". THE INDEPENDENTS.
- ^ Turnquest, Ava (2 April 2025). "'IRAM RESIGNS: Central GB MP leaves FNM for Coalition of Independents'". The Tribune. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "RISE OF THE COALITION: COI captures six percent of vote; outperforms DNA in first run". 21 September 2021.
External links
[edit]| Current parties | |
|---|---|
| Defunct parties | |
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