This is a list of heads of state of Mauritius since the independence of Mauritius in 1968.
From 1968 to 1992 the head of state under the Mauritius Independence Act 1968 was the Queen of Mauritius, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in Mauritius by a governor-general. Mauritius became a republic under the Constitution of 1992 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by a ceremonial president.
In 1992, Mauritius became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth II ceased to be head of state, Queen of Mauritius; the last governor-general, Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo, was appointed the first president of Mauritius. The president is elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president of Mauritius serves as acting head of state.[1] [2]
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
See main article: Governor-General of Mauritius. The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Mauritius and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Mauritius without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
Under the 1992 constitution, the constitution of the Republic of Mauritius, the president replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state. The president was elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the vice president served as acting president.
| Portrait | Name | Elected | Term of office | Political party | Prime minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo | 1992 | 12 March 1992 | 30 June 1992 | PTR | Sir Anerood Jugnauth | ||
| — | Rabindrah Ghurburrun | — | 30 June 1992 | 30 June 1992 | PTR | |||
| 2 | Cassam Uteem | 1992 1997 | 30 June 1992 | 15 February 2002 | MMM | |||
| Navin Ramgoolam | ||||||||
| Sir Anerood Jugnauth | ||||||||
| — | Angidi Chettiar | — | 15 February 2002 | 18 February 2002 | PTR | |||
| — | Ariranga Pillay | 18 February 2002 | 25 February 2002 | Non-partisan | ||||
| 3 | Karl Offmann | 2002 | 25 February 2002 | 1 October 2003 | MSM | |||
| — | Raouf Bundhun | — | 1 October 2003 | 7 October 2003 | MMM | Paul Bérenger | ||
| 4 | Sir Anerood Jugnauth | 2003 2008 | 7 October 2003 | 31 March 2012 | MSM | |||
| Navin Ramgoolam | ||||||||
| — | Monique Ohsan Bellepeau | — | 31 March 2012 | 21 July 2012 | PTR | |||
| 5 | Kailash Purryag | 2012 | 21 July 2012 | 29 May 2015 | PTR | |||
| Sir Anerood Jugnauth | ||||||||
| — | Monique Ohsan Bellepeau | — | 29 May 2015 | 5 June 2015 | PTR | |||
| 6 | Ameenah Gurib | 2015 | 5 June 2015 | 23 March 2018 | Independent | |||
| Pravind Jugnauth | ||||||||
| — | Barlen Vyapoory | — | 23 March 2018 | 26 November 2019 | MSM | |||
| — | Eddy Balancy | 26 November 2019 | 2 December 2019 | Non-partisan | ||||
| 7 | Prithvirajsing Roopun | 2019 | 2 December 2019 | Incumbent | MSM | |||