2024 Solomon Islands general election
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General elections will be held in the Solomon Islands on 17 April 2024 to determine the composition of the 12th Parliament.[1][2] 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. The opposition condemned the delay and accused Sogavare of a power grab.[3]
Sogavare assumed a fourth non-consecutive term as prime minister in 2019, after four parties, including his Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (OUR), formed the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA). 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. In 2022, the government signed a security pact with China, allowing it to request the deployment of Chinese military personnel in the Solomon Islands during unrest. While Sogavare said the pact would help provide the Solomon Islands with further stability and economic growth, the opposition claimed it threatened the country's sovereignty. Other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States, expressed concerns with the agreement.[4]
Background[edit]
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.[5] 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.[6] Results showed no party obtained a majority as in previous elections. Of the eight parties that secured seats, the Solomon Islands Democratic and Kadere parties emerged as the largest; both won eight. Independents won the other 21 seats.[7]
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.[8][9] The OUR Party, along with the Kadere, People First and Democratic Alliance parties, formed the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) bloc[10] 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.[9] 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.[11][12] The High Court suspended Parliament's vote for prime minister shortly before it was to occur on 24 April, having issued an injunction.[13] However, citing the constitution, Governor-General Frank Kabui ordered the vote to proceed.[14][15] In response, Wale and the Grand Coalition boycotted the vote while the remaining members elected Sogavare prime minister.[16] Wale then became leader of the opposition.[14] Sogavare's return as prime minister resulted in riots in Honiara, stemming from public frustration over the lack of citizen involvement with government formation.[17][18] The High Court later dismissed the case against Sogavare's eligibility to run for prime minister.[11] The OUR Party saw numerous MPs join after the election, and by November 2019, the party had attained a comfortable majority of 32 seats.[19]
2021 unrest[edit]
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.[20] Demonstrators defied the curfew and took to Honiara's Chinatown.[21] Numerous businesses and a police station were burnt down,[20] 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.[21] 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".[20] 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.[22]
Security pact with China[edit]
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.[23][4] The pact prompted the United States to re-open an embassy in Honiara in 2023.[24]
Electoral system[edit]
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.[25] 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.[26] 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.[7] 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.[25]
Voters[edit]
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.[26] 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.[27] In early February 2024, the chief electoral officer of the election commission, Jasper Highwood Anisi, announced that citizens abroad on election day, including seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand, would be unable to vote as absentee voting would not occur. Around the time of the 2024 election, there were no provisions for overseas voting. Anisi said seasonal workers would possibly be able to vote from abroad in future elections.[28][29]
Election postponement[edit]
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.[30][31] 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.[32] Many citizens were reportedly sceptical about the intentions behind the delay, which also raised fears of unrest.[33] 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.[34] 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".[33][3] Sogavare claimed the postponement would not threaten the democratic process and said opponents to the bill lacked evidence that it was undemocratic.[32] 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.[35] On 26 January 2024, the electoral commission scheduled the election for 17 April.[1]
Schedule[edit]
Acting Governor-General Patteson Oti confirmed the election date in a formal announcement on 20 February. The following day, the campaign period and the candidate nomination process commenced, with the latter concluding on 6 March. The deadline for candidates wishing to withdraw was set for 8 March by the electoral commission.[36]
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2023 | Dissolution of the 11th Parliament |
| 20 February 2024 | Proclamation of the election date |
| 21 February 2024 | Candidate nominations open |
| Campaign period begins | |
| 6 March 2024 | Candidates nominations close |
| 8 March 2024 | Deadline for candidates' withdrawal |
| 15 April 2024 | Campaign period ends |
| 16 April 2024 | Campaign blackout |
| 17 April 2024 | Election day |
Parties and candidates[edit]
A total of 334 candidates were nominated to contest the election,[37] a similar amount to the 333 in the 2019 election.[38] Only 21 contestants were women, comprising 6% of all candidates, a slight decrease from 26 in 2019. Of all the candidates, 224 were affiliated with one of the 13 contesting parties, while the other 120 ran as independents.[37][39][40] On 7 February, the Democratic Alliance Party (DAP), led by former Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela and the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP), led by Opposition Leader Matthew Wale, established the Coalition for Accountability, Reform and Empowerment (CARE) to contest the election.[41]
| Party | Candidates | 2019 result[42] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | |||
| Solomon Islands Democratic Party | 37 | 13.64% | 8 / 50
| |
| Solomon Islands United Party | 25 | 10.43% | 2 / 50
| |
| Kadere Party | 21 | 9.50% | 8 / 50
| |
| Democratic Alliance Party | 10 | 6.37% | 3 / 50
| |
| People's Alliance Party | 15 | 6.00% | 2 / 50
| |
| People First Party | 7 | 3.69% | 1 / 50
| |
| Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement | 17 | 3.19% | 1 / 50
| |
| National Transformation Party | 3 | 1.49% | 0 / 50
| |
| Green Party Solomon Islands | 2 | 0.20% | 0 / 50
| |
| Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party | 43 | — | — | |
| Umi for Change Party | 8 | — | — | |
| People's Liberal Democratic Party | 30 | — | — | |
| Solomon Islands Progressive Action Party | 1 | — | — | |
| Independents | 120 | 36.54 | 21 / 50
| |
Campaign[edit]
OUR Party[edit]
On 8 February, the OUR Party launched a manifesto.[43] Party leader and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced the OUR Party's five most prioritised policies going into the election. The first was preserving social cohesion and national unity to prevent ethnic tensions from rising, as in 2000. Enhancing the nation's legal and governing systems to guarantee public safety was another key priority, as was socio-economic growth; the party pledged to utilise the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program and China's Belt and Road Initiative. The OUR Party's fourth priority was national defence, security and trade; the party sought to preserve relations with Australia and other traditional allies while expanding ties with China as part of a "look north" policy. The fifth key priority was development and land and resources empowerment.[44] During a campaign rally in the Malaitan provincial capital of Auki, Sogavare delivered a speech where he praised the Chinese political system and declared his government's decision to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China to have "put Solomon Islands on the map". Sogavare also claimed that democracy leads to moral decline and same-sex marriage.[45]
CARE[edit]
The CARE coalition released a manifesto on 14 February; issues it highlighted include job creation, infrastructure investment, implementing free education, decreasing the cost of living and creating 25,000 jobs over a four-year period.[46][47] CARE pledged to implement a 15% pay rise for public servants and enhance the nation's health services. The coalition also promised to address medicine shortages in health establishments nationwide and to ease the overburdened National Referral Hospital in Honiara by funnelling more resources into provincial hospitals.[48] The coalition's leader, Matthew Wale, criticised the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission (PEC), which oversees the entitlements of parliamentarians, for its plans to implement a pay increase for members of parliament. Pointing to issues such as the struggling economy, the healthcare crisis and the poor quality of roads nationwide, Wale described PEC's decision as a "slap in the face" to Solomon Islanders and announced CARE's intention to replace the PEC with a High Salaries Commission; intending to monitor the salaries of public servants and provide more accountability and transparency.[49] Regarding foreign policy, Wale announced that CARE would maintain a balanced engagement with foreign countries, including China and the United States. Wale stressed the coalition would ultimately prioritise the national interests of the Solomon Islands and ensure that consultation with the public would occur before making foreign policy decisions.[47]
Umi for Change[edit]
The then-premier of Malaita Province, Daniel Suidani, formed the Umi for Change Party (U4C) in 2022.[50] Suidani, a vocal critic of the Sogavare government's switch of diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China and its expansion of ties with the latter, was ousted as premier in 2023 after losing a no-confidence vote, allegedly due to his opposition to the switch.[51] Suidani explained that U4C is a successor to the Malaita Alliance for Rural Advancement government, which he led as premier of Malaita.[52][53] The Political Parties Commission approved U4C's registration on 9 January 2024; the party subsequently launched a manifesto. One of U4C's key policies included revoking the absolute legal immunity that public officials enjoy. Suidani said this policy was necessary, citing numerous officials allegedly "hiding behind the law" and "making reckless decisions on behalf of the state." The party also pledged to address gender inequality and focus on youth-related issues;[52][54] U4C aimed to establish an education program on employment to decrease youth unemployment.[55]
Conduct[edit]
Funding[edit]
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.[56] Once parliament approved the postponement, Sogavare announced that the government would accept Canberra's offer.[57] The Solomon Islands government allocated approximately SI$40 million to fund the national, provincial and Honiara City Council elections. The Australian government contributed SI$55 million, while the New Zealand government provided SI$35 million. The overall budget was SI$130 million.[58]
On 25 March 2024, New Zealand announced that it would deploy the Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Canterbury to transport two helicopters and crew, along with command and maintenance personnel, to the Solomon Islands as part of a NZ$10.8 million ($6.48 million) support program for the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission agreed upon in January that would help transport election officers and materials across the archipelago.[59]
Results[edit]
References[edit]
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