a february 1996 presidential election returned president monteiro to office. legislative elections in january 2001 returned power to the paicv, with the paicv holding 40 of the national assembly seats, mpd 30, and party for democratic convergence (pcd) and labour and solidarity party (pts) 1 each. in february 2001, the paicv-supported presidential candidate pedro pires defeated former mpd leader carlos veiga by only 13 votes.