The first round of the São Toméan Presidential elections featured an open field of 19 candidates and over 120,000 voters and held on the 18th of July.
Despite boycotts from a few municipalities that were demanding better living conditions, the voting process in São Tomé went peacefully.
However, as no presidential candidate received a majority of the vote, a second round is scheduled to be held on 8 August 2021. The run-off is being contested by two candidates; Former Infrastructure Minister Carlos Vila Nova of the Independent Democratic Action (ADI) and Former Prime Minister Guilherme Posser da Costa of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Principe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD). The incumbent President Evarista Carvalho is not seeking re-election.