Antigua and Barbuda has sworn in a new Cabinet, marking a historic break from colonial tradition as elected officials pledged allegiance to their nation rather than to the British Crown for the first time. According to Antigua News Room, the ceremony took place on Tuesday, just days after Prime Minister Gaston Browne led the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party to an unprecedented fourth consecutive electoral victory.
For the first time in the nation's post-independence history, Cabinet members took an oath of allegiance to the state of Antigua and Barbuda, its constitution, and its laws — setting aside a tradition of more than 40 years. In December 2025, Parliament approved a constitutional amendment formally removing the pledge of loyalty to the British monarch, King Charles III, his heirs, and successors from the oath of allegiance.
Addressing those gathered for the swearing-in, Prime Minister Browne offered a pointed reminder of the responsibilities that come with public office. "Whereas your success at the polls has earned you the confidence and trust of the people; that confidence and trust collectively, is not a gift to be enjoyed, or trust to be betrayed. It is a burden to be carried, a duty to be performed, a trust to be honored every single day," he said.
The ABLP secured a commanding 15 of the country's 17 parliamentary seats in the election. The main opposition United Progressive Party saw its representation collapse from five seats to one, leaving Jamale Pringle as its sole member in Parliament. Pringle will be joined on the opposition bench by Trevor Walker, who returns to Parliament on the Barbuda People's Movement ticket — a seat he has held in every election since 2004, with the exception of 2014.
The snap election was called two years ahead of the constitutional deadline. The campaign was dominated by voter concerns over the rising cost of living and infrastructure development across the twin-island nation.
