The outgoing Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands did not obtain an absolute majority following the elections, according to the still partial results on Monday April 22, which will force the pro-Beijing leader of the Pacific country to seek partners for a coalition.
Manasseh Sogavare’s Our Party won 12 seats, with six still up for grabs, according to provisional results of Wednesday’s vote reported by public broadcaster, placing it far from a majority in the 50-seat parliament. .
The upcoming negotiations for a coalition should be closely followed by the great powers, because they could have significant consequences on Beijing’s intentions in the South Pacific. Mr. Sogavare signed a security pact with Beijing in 2022 and enabled the rapid expansion of Chinese interests in the impoverished Pacific archipelago.
Mr Sogavare’s two main rival parties, which between them hold 12 seats, have both spoken out in favor of reducing China’s influence. The rest of the seats were obtained by independent elected officials or small parties, whose allegiances are unpredictable.
Outburst of violence
In the coming days, party representatives will meet to try to form a majority. The appointment of a prime minister, a closed-door process, can take several weeks.
Election periods can be tense in the archipelago, with previous elections having resulted in riots. Last weekend, police quelled a limited outbreak of violence between two villages on the island of Malaita, sparked by the local election result. A gang of men damaged “a water source, the building of a church and dwellings” in a neighboring village after an argument related to the voting results, according to police.