On Thursday, Solomon Islands lawmakers elected a new Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in an anonymous vote. There are concerns from the international community that this may strengthen the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in this Pacific nation.
In the capital city of Honiara, 50 legislators gathered to elect the next Prime Minister. Manele emerged victorious with 31 votes, while opposition leader Matthew Wale received 18 votes.
In last month’s national election, no single party secured a majority of seats. Leading up to the Prime Ministerial election, both camps were lobbying independent members in a bid to gain their support.
It is believed that if the country is led by the opposition, there could be a decrease in its relationship with Beijing. Some opposition candidates have proposed re-establishing closer ties with Taiwan and reviewing the security agreement signed with the Chinese Communist Party.
In 2022, the current Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, reached a security agreement with Beijing, which leaked draft allowed Chinese warships to have access to a safe harbor approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) from the Australian coast. This raised serious concerns from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. These countries are closely monitoring this election as it could have implications for regional security.
Sogavare cut ties with Taiwan during his five-year term in office and established a close relationship with Beijing. However, he did not seek re-election, and his party supported Manele.
Nevertheless, Mihai Sora, a former Australian diplomat and researcher at the Lowy Institute, believes that despite Manele serving as Solomon Islands Foreign Minister for nearly five years, he is unlikely to strictly adhere to the pro-Communist policies of the previous government.
“Sogavare’s leadership had a personal touch, and he evidently harbored animosity towards countries like Australia. He made it difficult for the United States to rebuild the relationship,” said Sora.
He added, “Our expectation for Manele is that he will be more willing to accept cooperation and aid proposals from a range of partners.”
Sora noted that compared to Sogavare, Manele has a “good track record in cooperating with all international partners.”
On Thursday, Manele addressed the public outside parliament, stating, “The people have spoken.” He urged calm and highlighted past incidents of violence in Solomon Islands following elections.
He also mentioned that the economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 anti-government riots, with the government soon to announce tax, forestry, and mining policies.