This 2025 election began with promises to be different from any in the past, except carrying some semblance to those of the early Sixties. This is brought on by the seeming political paralysis of the two main parties. The majority of the electorate has grown disillusioned and views the Progressive Labour Party government as self-serving — meanwhile, the One Bermuda Alliance is merely seen as ineffective. People feel like they are between a rock and a hard place, with no option than to stick with the status quo.

The rise of independents is the result of this frustration and has become contagious to the extent that in too many cases they stand in each other’s way in voicing their enthusiasm for something else. Rarely has there been more than two or three independents to stand in a General Election. When there are 20 or more — in this case 27 — it is an unprecedented phenomenon that must be understood.

The real impetus is a surge to replace the PLP. As we have seen in recent by-elections, 62 per cent of the vote is going against the PLP. This tells a story; no, it's shouting a story!

David Burt euphemistically defines the tide and all this new participation, as the sign of a healthy democracy. However, in short, this is a failed “Vote Them Out” phenomenon. The OBA misinterprets that as a vote in its corner, which, sadly, is even farther from reality. The electorate has said it does not want you back, either.

The fate of the independent movement was sealed when the OBA decided to field a full slate of 36 candidates. From an observer’s perspective, it could be said the OBA never intended to win, but rather was attempting to survive, hopefully with a few more seats. But a loss of 25-11 is massive and should not be celebrated.

These 2025 results are a bedrock of Bermuda and an unchanged phenomenon for more than 60 years. A social eclipse in 1998 brought the change that was inevitable.

This is the new world we live in and to change its course requires strategy. The OBA needs to embrace that it has zero chance of winning a straight contest with the PLP.

The only conceivable pathway is through a coalition. That idea had to be built into the campaign strategy with non-compete clauses dividing the various zones.

Naturally, there are some seats that are almost reserved as either PLP or OBA strongholds. However, while there may be six or seven OBA strongholds that are unlikely to change, we could see some upsets on the PLP end — or at least challenges to its margin of victory.

The days of boasting of a mandate are gone; that is crumbling along with the island’s infrastructure.

So, in order for the majority to accomplish its desired objective, it requires a strategy. We as Bermudians do understand the game of Cup Match and would remember before selection that we had the captain's pick.

What this article attempts to identify is a pathway to defeat the PLP and replace it with either a government of independents or a coalition.

The unknown quantum was the voter turnout. Fifty-four per cent was lower than the 2020 election held during the pandemic. Understandably, 8,000 or more have resided overseas over the past ten years and contributed to the downturn, but that does not fully account for the missing vote.

The PLP won the election with its core base of 11,000 diehard supporters. Where was the opposition? There was enthusiasm it got 51 per cent, but no single entity had the needed momentum.

The truth was always there; hidden in plain sight. What was also evident was the egocentric mania that fuelled their fragmented existence.

The saga continues as Parliament resumes, and another cycle of rinse-and-repeat resumes. We should anticipate the same result coming out of the spin cycle until things are done differently.