Mauritius holds an election with the ruling party seeking a new term

JOHANNESBURG — People in Mauritius voted Sunday for a new Parliament with the ruling party seeking to secure a second five-year term for Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth in one of Africa’s most stable democracies. Jugnauth’s government has faced criticism recently after it banned social media websites following a wiretapping scandal in which recorded conversations involving politicians, businesspeople, activists and journalists leaked and were published online. The island, popular for its idyllic tropical beaches, ranks second in Africa behind Seychelles on the Human Development Index, which ranks quality of life for citizens and takes into account life expectancy, access to education and per capita income. The World Bank has described Mauritius as a “beacon of success for sub-Saharan Africa” and says it has achieved remarkable economic growth since independence.