post-independence election in 1979. Expecting an easy victory for the SVLP in 1984, Cato called early elections. The results were surprising: with a record 89% voter turnout, James Fitz-Allen Mitchell's New Democratic Party (NDP) won nine seats in the house of assembly. Since the 1984 election, politics in St. Vincent have been dominated by the NDP. Bolstered by a resurgent economy in the mid-1980s, Mitchell led his party to an unprecedented sweep of all fifteen House of Assembly seats in the 1989 elections. The opposition emerged from the election weakened and fragmented but was able to win three seats during the February 1994 elections under a "unity" coalition. In 1998, Prime Minister Mitchell and the NDP were returned to power for an unprecedented fourth term but only with a slim margin of eight seats to seven seats for the Unity Labour Party (ULP). The NDP was able to accomplish a return to power while receiving a lesser share of the popular vote, approximately 45% to the ULP's 55%. In March 2001, the ULP, led by Ralph Gonsalves, assumed power after winning twelve of the fifteen seats in Parliament. The party was returned to power under the same leadership in December 2005, holding the same twelve seats in Parliament. The ULP was returned to power in 2010 and also following the election on 9 December 2015 when it won 8 out of the 15 constituencies. Ralph Gonsalves remains Prime Minister. Executive branch As head of state, King Charles III is represented by a governor general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. Legislative branch The House of Assembly has 21 members, 15 members elected for a five-year term in single seat constituencies and 6 appointed senators. Political parties and elections Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent. Administrative divisions The country is divided into six parishes: Charlotte, Saint George, Saint Andrew, Saint Patrick, Saint David and The Grenadines. International organization participation ACP, ALBA, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO References: "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines", U.S. Department of State. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. "Gonsalves: Outsiders in St Vincent Politics - Stabroek