Port of Spain, Trinidad – In a solemn but composed address from the People’s National Movement (PNM) headquarters at Balisier House on Monday night, political leader and former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley announced that the PNM has conceded defeat in the 2025 General Election.
Speaking just after 10:00 p.m.—shortly after United National Congress (UNC) leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar declared victory—Dr. Rowley confirmed that early results strongly indicated a loss for the PNM. He was joined by Prime Minister Stuart Young and campaign manager Rohan Sinanan.
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“Tonight is not a good night for the PNM,” Rowley stated candidly. “But it might be a good night for Trinidad and Tobago. From all reports, we have conducted an election, things have gone very well with the processes, the results are coming in now. From what we have coming in at Balisier House, it is clear at this time that we have lost the election.”
Dr. Rowley acknowledged the defeat as part of the party’s 70-year journey, noting historical precedents in 1986, 1995, and 2010. “Sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t win. Tonight is one of those nights where, surprisingly, we have not done very well in the general election,” he said.
He emphasized that the PNM would begin its rebuilding process immediately. According to Rowley, preliminary projections suggest the party may have secured between 10 to 12 parliamentary seats, a significant drop from previous terms. Nonetheless, he vowed the party would recover and continue to serve the nation.
“We will continue to remain faithful to our cause, which is the interest and service to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley said. “The elections are over—changes will be made, promises to be kept, reviews to be done, rejuvenation to be had.”
In a signal of the party’s next steps, Rowley confirmed that a General Council meeting would be held on Wednesday to determine who the party would support for the post of Leader of the Opposition, a role the PNM has held several times before.
“That is a position we have held before, and even from there, we will provide Yeoman’s service to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” he stated.
Rowley also reiterated a prior decision to step down as political leader of the party by the end of the year. “I did at an earlier time say to you that I have met with the general leadership of the party and indicated to them that I would not want to continue beyond the end of the year as political leader… We will do that and conduct our party business—with gusto—in the coming weeks,” he affirmed.
Prime Minister Stuart Young, who retained his seat in the general election, addressed the gathering as well, urging supporters to remain resilient.
“Disappointment is part of life,” Young said. “Do not be despondent. You still have a young person—not only Young in name—more than willing, ready, and able to continue fighting for Trinidad and Tobago.”
The UNC’s victory marks a major political shift and is expected to trigger changes in the nation’s governance landscape. As the dust settles from election night, both parties now face critical paths forward—one as the new administration and the other as a restructured opposition.
