How are the leaders of Barbados selected?

Barbados is a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, represented by a Governor-General. The government is led by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government, and is chosen by the House of Assembly. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the Assembly, which in practice rotates between the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

To become the leader of Barbados, an individual must be a citizen of Barbados and at least 18 years old. The leader of Barbados is elected by the members of the House of Assembly, which is the lower house of parliament. Elections are held every five years, unless the House of Assembly is dissolved earlier.

In order to be elected as leader of Barbados, an individual must be a member of the House of Assembly and have the support of at least a simple majority of the members. If no single individual has the support of a majority of the members, then a second round of voting is held between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round.

The leader of Barbados is responsible for forming a government and appointing the other members of the Cabinet. The leader is also responsible for setting policy and leading the country.