No Party Secures Simple Majority In Solomon Islands Elections

No political party in the Solomon Islands secured a simple majority in last week's elections as the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's party won 15 seats, state-run media reported on Wednesday.

Sogavare's Ownership, United and Responsibility party is now leading the political number game with 15 members being elected, followed by Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE) with 13 seats, according to the national broadcaster SIBC.

The United Party won seven seats, the Peoples First Party (SIPFP) secured three, while the Kandere Party and Party for Rural Advancement got one seat each.

Ten seats were won by independent candidates.

Sogavare, a close ally of China, needs 11 more seats to secure a simple majority of 26 seats in the 50-member parliament.

The election was closely watched by China and the US as they seek to expand their influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

This was the first election since Sogavare shifted diplomatic relations to Beijing from Taiwan in 2019.

The results took around a week, as the island nation spread over 900 islands.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid -