Arianne Navarre-Marie, Mauritius' Deputy Prime Minister, assumed the role of interim Prime Minister on September 27, 2026, as Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam was away in London. She led the government for 12 days, until October 8, 2026, without drawing significant attention to the transition. Navarre-Marie described her experience as "routine," emphasizing the government's solidarity and teamwork.
During her interim tenure, Navarre-Marie engaged in various diplomatic meetings, Council of Ministers sessions, and institutional events. On September 28, 2026, she attended a reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the People's Republic of China's founding. She also met with representatives from the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and French Ambassador Alexis Loyer.
Navarre-Marie's agenda included meetings with local organizations and stakeholders. On October 1, 2026, she participated in the International Day of Older Persons celebration at the J&J Auditorium in Phoenix. She also met with Vice President Robert Hungley at the State House in Réduit. Her engagements continued with a Council of Ministers session on October 2, 2026, which she chaired without making any major announcements.
On October 4, 2026, Navarre-Marie participated in Family Days in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine and Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. She also attended a lunch event for the International Day of Older Persons at the Richelieu community center. The following day, she joined a candlelight march against drug abuse in Résidence Vallijee, organized by the Community Development Association.
As Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Navarre-Marie emphasized social and family issues during her engagements. According to reports, she declined the usual escort reserved for the Prime Minister, preferring to travel alone in her constituency. This approach reflected her desire to maintain her usual habits during the interim period.
On her final day as interim Prime Minister, Navarre-Marie's schedule included a working session with Meta to discuss online security, child protection, and artificial intelligence-generated content. She also met with the president of the Mauritius Pleasure Craft Federation and UN officials, including Lisa Simrique Singh and Ahunna Eziakonwa.
Reflecting on her experience, Navarre-Marie stated that everything proceeded as usual, highlighting the government's collective functioning. With Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam's return, Navarre-Marie returned to her role as Deputy Prime Minister, having completed her 12-day interim tenure without significant fanfare.
Key points
- Arianne Navarre-Marie served as interim Prime Minister of Mauritius for 12 days in October 2026.
- She engaged in various diplomatic meetings, Council of Ministers sessions, and institutional events during her interim tenure.
- Navarre-Marie emphasized the government's solidarity and teamwork, describing her experience as "routine."
