Jeremiah Manele, who previously served as the foreign minister of the Pacific Island, has been elected as the new prime minister of the Solomon Islands. This election has sparked questions about the future of the country’s relationship with Beijing. Manele played a role in the decision to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2019.
During the recent election, Manele ran under the party of former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, but had previous associations with the Democratic Alliance Party. The election results did not yield a majority for any single party, with many independent candidates securing seats.
In the secret ballot held on May 2 to determine the prime minister, Manele emerged victorious with 31 votes against rival candidate Mathew Wale, who received 18 votes. One MP abstained from voting. In the Solomon Islands, MPs directly vote for the prime minister, unlike in other democracies where coalition-building is typically required.
Manele’s administration, known as the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT), is formed by a coalition of three parties, including Manele’s Our Party, Manasseh Maelanga’s People’s First Party, and Jamie Vokia’s Kandere Party. This coalition initially had 19 MPs but gained additional support from nine more members, likely former independents.
The outcome of the election has drawn attention from countries like China, the United States, and Australia due to its implications for regional security. Manele supported a security pact signed with the CCP in 2022, while opposition leaders expressed intentions to reject the agreement and re-establish ties with Taiwan.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Manele and expressed a desire to collaborate closely with him, emphasizing the strong friendship between Australia and the Solomon Islands. Manele, in his address after the vote, emphasized the importance of upholding the democratic process and called for peace and unity in the country.
Source link
