On Wednesday, August 14th, Kiribati held the first round of national elections, which are seen as a referendum by the Pacific island nation on the rising cost of living and the government’s pro-China policies. This election has raised concerns among Western countries about China’s influence in the country.
According to the report by the Associated Press on Wednesday, the results of the first round of voting will be announced on Thursday, August 15th. The second round of voting will take place on August 19th, and it will involve all parliamentary seats that were not secured by a majority in the initial round.
The elections will determine 44 out of the 45 seats in the parliament, excluding the role of the president. The president will be selected publicly in October from three or four elected members.
Incumbent President Taneti Maamau has been in office since 2016, and if re-elected into parliament, he is expected to seek another term.
With a population of 120,000 people, Kiribati has vast maritime territory and is strategically located near Hawaii. In 2019, the Kiribati government switched its allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing citing national interests, joining the list of Pacific nations that severed ties with Taiwan.
Kiribati is one of the world’s most aid-dependent countries and has been classified by the International Monetary Fund as a high-risk debt crisis nation. Coastal erosion and rising sea levels threaten the country’s survival, leading to water contamination and forcing the majority of the population to migrate to the densely populated South Tarawa Island.
Analysts noted the lack of information online regarding election activities or voting details, with minimal English-language coverage. In recent years, Australian officials faced obstacles or delays in entering Kiribati, hindering information exchange between the two governments and raising concerns in Canberra about Beijing’s influence.
Blake Johnson, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, expressed Australian concerns about Chinese influence, citing reports of Beijing training and equipping Kiribati police and suspending the work of foreign judges in the island nation.
Reportedly, the core issues of this election include rising living costs, drug shortages, and fuel scarcity. Analysts suggest that voters may support the incumbent government due to the introduction of universal unemployment benefits and increased subsidies for copra (dried coconut meat).
Kiribati independent journalist Rimon Rimon said over the phone, “People are connecting the challenges they face with current policies. The prospects for re-election of the incumbent members of parliament are currently optimistic.”
Rimon noted that after Kiribati’s shift towards pro-Beijing policies, there have been changes, such as the requirement for researchers and journalists to apply for filming permits and a tougher stance on information access. He mentioned that the current government has kept the contents of the 10 agreements signed with China in 2022 highly confidential.
He pointed out that Kiribati traditionally follows a consensus-based governance system, with strong democratic principles and respect for the constitution, yet the competition of foreign influences has sown the seeds of national division.