Mia Mottley

Mia Mottley is the incumbent Prime Minister of Barbados and leader of the Barbados Labour Party, which contested the country’s parliamentary election on February 11, 2026. Because Barbados operates under a parliamentary system, voters elected members of the House of Assembly, with the leader able to command a parliamentary majority serving as Prime Minister.

Born in Barbados in 1965, Mottley attended Queen’s College before studying law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She later qualified as an attorney in both England and Wales and Barbados. Mottley entered national politics in 1994, when she was first elected to the House of Assembly as the representative for St. Michael North East. She has remained a member of Parliament since then. Mottley speaks English, the official language of Barbados.

Over the course of her political career, Mottley has held several senior government positions, including Attorney General, Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister, and Leader of the Opposition. She became Prime Minister in 2018 after the Barbados Labour Party won the general election and secured a second term in 2022. During her tenure, Barbados transitioned from a constitutional monarchy to a parliamentary republic in 2021. She has also represented Barbados in regional and international forums, including through work connected to CARICOM.

During the 2026 campaign, Mottley’s platform focused in part on cost-of-living relief and tax reform, including expanded tax credits, direct financial support for eligible groups, and reduced income-tax burdens for some lower-income earners. Her campaign also emphasized jobs, economic opportunity, and diversification, including proposals to expand employment, support business development, encourage new industries, and increase opportunities for younger Barbadians.