2024 Solomon Islands general election
Solomon Islands
By April 2024
All 50 seats in the National Parliament
26 seats needed for a majority
Incumbent Prime Minister
Manasseh Sogavare
OUR Party

General elections will be held in the Solomon Islands by April 2024 to determine the composition of the 12th Parliament.[1] Initially planned for 2023, parliament voted in 2022 to delay the elections. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare claimed the country could not afford to have an election in the same year the Solomon Islands was hosting the Pacific Games.

Following the 2019 election, the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) bloc, composed of four parties, formed a government with Manasseh Sogavare assuming a fourth non-consecutive term as prime minister. Months later, in November 2019, the DCGA government severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with China, a move condemned by the opposition. The switch was a factor in the cause of demonstrations in Honiara in November 2021, which were initially peaceful but later turned violent after Sogavare did not meet with protesters. Much of the capital sustained damage, while the government called in personnel from four countries, including Australia, to help restore order. Sogavare dismissed calls from the opposition to resign, and shortly after the unrest, he survived a no-confidence motion.

Background

The previous election, held in 2019, took place following amendments to the electoral act in 2018, which introduced additional measures to prevent electoral fraud, including stricter penalties for candidates and voters engaging in bribery and the implementation of a campaign blackout the day before the election to deter vote-buying.[2] However, the maximum campaign budget for candidates saw a rapid increase from SI$50,000 to SI$500,000, resulting in cases of lavish campaign spending.[3] Results showed no party obtained a majority as in previous elections. Of the eight parties that secured seats, the Solomon Islands Democratic and Kadare parties emerged as the largest; both won eight. Independents won the other 21 seats.[4]

With no dominant party, two blocs formed to compete to take the reins of government. Manasseh Sogavare, who had previously served three non-consecutive terms as prime minister, two of which ended in no-confidence votes, refounded his Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (OUR) shortly after the election.[5][6] The OUR Party, along with the Kadare, People First and Democratic Alliance parties, formed the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) bloc[7] with Sogavare as the DCGA's nominee for prime minister. On the other hand, the Solomon Islands United Party, Solomon Islands Democratic Party and the United Democratic Party formed the Grand Coalition; Matthew Wale was the bloc's prime ministerial nominee.[6] Wale challenged Sogavare's eligibility to serve as prime minister in court, claiming he was ineligible as he registered his party after the election, in breach of the electoral act.[8][9] The High Court suspended Parliament's vote for prime minister shortly before it was to occur on 24 April, having issued an injunction.[10] However, citing the constitution, Governor-General Frank Kabui ordered the vote to proceed.[11][12] In response, Wale and the Grand Coalition boycotted the vote while the remaining members elected Sogavare prime minister.[13] Wale then became leader of the opposition.[11] Sogavare's return as prime minister resulted in riots in Honiara, stemming from public frustration over the lack of citizen involvement with government formation.[14][15] The High Court later dismissed the case against Sogavare's eligibility to run for prime minister.[8] The OUR Party saw numerous MPs join after the election, and by November 2019, the party had attained a comfortable majority of 32 seats.[16]

2021 unrest

In November 2021, protests broke out in Honiara near parliament. Sogavare's government withdrew the Solomon Islands' recognition of Taiwan in 2019 and established diplomatic ties with China. The switch faced condemnation by the opposition and the provincial government of Malaita, which maintained de facto relations with Taipei, increasing tensions between Sogavare and Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. Many protesters were from Malaita province and demanded Sogavare's resignation due to the decision to pursue ties with Beijing, along with other factors, including allegations of the central government ignoring the public on issues including infrastructure. When Sogavare did not address the demonstrators, riots broke out. Police attempted to disperse the crowds by firing tear gas while the government imposed a 36-hour lockdown in the capital.[17] Demonstrators defied the curfew and took to Honiara's Chinatown.[18] Numerous businesses and a police station were burnt down,[17] resulting in three deaths. Once the rioting ceased, military personnel and police from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea were deployed to help restore order.[18] Opposition Leader Matthew Wale called for Sogavare to do "the honourable thing and resign" and announced he would file a no-confidence motion if the prime minister refused. Sogavare resisted calls to step down and blamed interference from unnamed foreign powers for the riots, stating, "I don't want to name names…we know who they are".[17] Wale subsequently introduced a no-confidence motion, which Parliament voted on in December 2021. During the debate, Sogavare claimed the "innocent people of Malaita have been lied to by these agents of Taiwan" and described the riots as an "attempted illegal coup". Sogavare survived the no-confidence motion with 32 MPs voting to keep him in office.[19]

Security pact with China

In March 2022, the DCGA government signed a security pact with China, which permits the Solomon Islands to request the deployment of Chinese military personnel to assist the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force in restoring order in an event like the 2021 unrest. In such a scenario, Chinese personnel would also protect Chinese-owned businesses, nationals and diplomats. Reportedly, a part of his "friends to all, enemy to none" foreign policy, Prime Minister Sogavare believed that the pact would benefit the Solomon Islands by providing the country with more stability, which would attract more investors and result in further development. The opposition condemned the agreement, claiming it would provide more leverage for Chinese influence that would undermine the Solomon Islands' democracy. They pledged to repeal it if they were to oust the DCGA government at the election. Two groups, Transparency Solomon Islands and Solomon Islands Council of Women, claimed the pact would not represent the public's interests, that it would effectively cede the country's sovereignty to China and condemned its alleged lack of holistic consultation with Solomon Islanders. Australia, Fiji, Japan, the Federated States of Micronesia, New Zealand and the United States voiced concerns with the pact. These countries, along with others in the region, also feared how the agreement might allow China to establish a military base in the Solomon Islands, which both Honiara and Beijing denied.[20][21] The pact prompted the United States to re-open an embassy in Honiara in 2023.[22]

Electoral system

The governor-general must schedule a general election to take place within four months of the dissolution of parliament. The nomination period commences the day after the announcement of the election date and concludes 42 days before the poll. The period for campaigning begins on the day of the proclamation of the polling date and ceases the day before the election.[23] The 50 members of the National Parliament are elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting. Candidates are required to be at least 21 years old and resident in the constituency they contest. Disqualifications included holding dual citizenship, being executives or members of the Electoral Commission, having an undischarged bankruptcy, being imprisoned for more than six months, or being under a death sentence.[24] The 2018 electoral act raised the non-refundable nomination fee from SI$2000 to SI$5000 in an attempt to lower the number of candidates, especially "shadow candidates" who ran with the sole purpose of splitting votes to benefit other contestants. The electoral commission argued that with fewer candidates, the victor would gain a more decisive mandate.[4] Candidates running as a member of a registered political party are not permitted to change their affiliation after the confirmation of their nomination; unless they withdraw and file their candidacy again.[23]

Voters must be at least 18 years old and hold Solomon Islands citizenship. Individuals disqualified from voting include those that have committed a breach of the electoral law, been declared insane, been imprisoned for more than six months, or were under a death sentence.[24] The 2018 electoral act introduced pre-polling, open to polling staff and police officers that are to provide security for voting centres on election day.[25]

Election postponement

In September 2022, the Sogavare government passed a bill in parliament, delaying the dissolution of the 11th Parliament, which was due to occur on 19 May 2023, by several months to 31 December, to enable the postponement of the 2023 general election to 2024.[26][1] As the Solomon Islands were hosting the Pacific Games in 2023, Sogavare said the election delay was necessary, arguing the country could not afford to hold two major events in the same year as it was still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 unrest.[27] Many citizens were reportedly sceptical about the intentions behind the delay, which also raised fears of unrest.[28] A survey conducted by Transparency Solomon Islands from 31 March to 1 April 2022 found that 83% of the 2,178 respondents from the public opposed the deferral.[29] The opposition denounced the postponement as anti-democratic and a "power grab". Opponents also criticised how the government had rushed the bill through parliament, evading the regular procedures that allow for public input. Opposition Leader Wale said the prime minister had "succeeded in making [the Solomon Islands] the laughing stock of the region, as a country that is prepared to tamper with its own constitution for a two-week event, against the clear wishes of its people".[28][30] Sogavare claimed the postponement would not threaten the democratic process and said opponents to the bill lacked evidence that it was undemocratic.[27] With the deferral, the election is expected to be scheduled for April 2024.[1] An electoral amendment bill passed by parliament on 14 December 2023 arranged for the national election to occur on the same day as the provincial and Honiara City Council elections.[31]

Conduct

In September 2022, the Australian government proposed to assist in funding the general elections. The DCGA government initially criticised the offer and accused the Australian government of foreign interference, alleging they disclosed the offer occurred when parliament debated delaying the general election to influence the opposition. Opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr. denounced the DCGA government's response as "extremely unhelpful" and claimed it was evidence of Sogavare attempting to hold onto power. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong denied the allegation and pointed to Australia having supported previous elections in the Solomon Islands.[32] Once parliament approved the postponement, Sogavare announced that the government would accept Canberra's offer.[33]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Osifelo, Eddie (9 September 2022). "Elections in April 2024". The Island Sun. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Wiltshire et al. 2019, pp. 40–41.
  3. ↑ Wiltshire et al. 2019, pp. 32–33.
  4. 1 2 Wiltshire et al. 2019, p. 31.
  5. ↑ "Sogavare relaunches party amid Solomons coalition talks". Radio New Zealand. 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 Fanasia, Andrew (19 April 2019). "Wale to take on Sogavare for PM's position". Solomon Star. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "New Coalition Group Formed, Claims 33 MPs". Solomon Times. 15 April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Case against Solomons PM thrown out of court". Radio New Zealand. 27 May 2019. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Sogavare's Eligibility Case May Take Months". Solomon Times. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Solomons' police say no to protest march". Radio New Zealand. 18 April 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  11. 1 2 Fale, Steve (29 April 2019). "Sogavare's Eligibility Case May Take Months". Solomon Times. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "Manasseh Sogavare elected prime minister of Solomon Islands". Radio New Zealand. 24 April 2019. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Protests erupt as Sogavare is elected as Prime Minister". Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation. 24 April 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Wyeth, Grant (1 May 2019). "Riots in the Solomon Islands Greet Returned Prime Minister". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Armbruster, Stefan (24 April 2019). "Protests in streets of Solomon Islands after Manasseh Sogavare elected as PM". Special Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Fanasia, Andrew (1 November 2019). "OUR Party Runs Show". Solomon Star. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 McDonald, Joshua (26 November 2021). "Violent Protests Unsettle Solomon Islands". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  18. 1 2 "Solomon Islands unrest: New Zealand to send dozens of peacekeepers". The Guardian. 1 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survives vote of no confidence". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 December 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Kiloe, Ilan (11 May 2023). "The disproportionate attention on the Solomons-China security pact". Lowy Institute. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Zhang, Denghua; Pendeverana, Lincy; Diamana, Walter (4 May 2022). "What Do China and Solomon Islands Get From Their Security Pact?". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "US opens new embassy in Solomon Islands to counter China's increasing presence in the Pacific". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Electoral Act 2018". Act of 2018 (PDF). National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. pp. 30–32, 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Electoral System". IPU. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  25. ↑ "First Pre-Poll Voting Successful". Solomon Times. 22 March 2019. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  26. ↑ Nolan, Jimmy (9 September 2022). "Parliament Passes Bill to Defer Elections to 2024". Solomon Times. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Solomon Islands election delayed to 2024". Islands Business. 10 September 2022. Archived from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  28. 1 2 Perry, Nick (8 September 2022). "Solomon Islands to Delay Election, Raising Fears of Unrest". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  29. ↑ Osifelo, Eddie (27 June 2022). "People VS DCGA". The Island Sun. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  30. ↑ Lyons, Kate (10 August 2022). "Solomon Islands PM's election delay push a 'power grab' linked to China pact, opposition leader alleges". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  31. ↑ "Towards Synchronised Elections With Parliamentary Passing of Bills". Solomon Islands Election Office Press. 20 December 2023. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023 – via Solomon Islands Government.
  32. ↑ Dziedzic, Stephen (6 September 2022). "Honiara reacts angrily after Australia offers to help fund Solomon Islands election amid moves to postpone the poll". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  33. ↑ Dziedzic, Stephen; Burgess, Annika; Fennell, Jordan (8 September 2022). "Solomon Islands parliament votes to delay national poll as Manasseh Sogavare mocks Australia's election fund offer". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.

Bibliography

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