The general election in the Solomon Islands concluded on Wednesday, April 17th. This vote is seen as a “referendum” on the current leader, Manasseh Sogavare, with the United States, Beijing, and Australia all paying close attention.
Chairman of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission, Jasper Highwood Anisi, stated in a press conference that voting across the nation proceeded as planned. Many polling stations saw voters lining up early on the day, unlike previous elections where voting took place later in the day.
Over 1,000 polling stations were set up across the country’s 900 islands. Vote counting is scheduled to begin on Thursday, with results expected several weeks later.
Voters will elect 50 members of parliament from a pool of 334 candidates. The selection of the Prime Minister will be determined from these 50 newly elected officials.
This is the first major election in the Solomon Islands since Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare severed ties with Taiwan and turned towards Beijing. The growing security presence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Pacific region has become a concern for voters.
Parker Novak, a resident researcher at the Global China Hub of the Atlantic Council, commented to Voice of America, saying, “The outcome will determine whether the Solomon Islands continue to develop relations with China (the CCP) or change course and adopt a different approach.”
The election, originally scheduled for the previous year, was postponed by Sogavare, citing the inability of the country to afford both hosting elections and the Pacific Games in the same year. Critics of Sogavare labeled this decision as a power grab.
Apart from the relationship with China, voters will also focus on issues such as healthcare, education, and the national road network.
With over 80% of the Solomon Islands’ 700,000 population residing outside the capital Honiara, most people lack basic services like electricity, healthcare, schools, and transportation.
Election day was filled with celebrations—street parties were held in Honiara with voters blowing conch shells, expressing hope for positive changes in the country.
“I am very excited (to vote) and eager to see changes,” said a voter named Judy to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Marklyn Keremama, 44, mentioned that while government efforts on foreign relations are commendable, Solomon Islanders hope the next democratically elected leader will also focus on grassroots issues.
“Any government coming into power next should do what the people of the Solomon Islands want… We need leaders who care about our needs,” he stated.
Located approximately 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) north of Australia, the Solomon Islands has been one of the poorest countries in the region due to decades of tribal conflicts.
Up until 2017, Australia led peacekeeping missions in the area. Two years after the mission ended, Sogavare abandoned decades-long diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2019, turning towards Beijing. In 2022, he signed a security agreement with the CCP, the specifics of which remain undisclosed.
This move has raised alarms in Australia and other Pacific neighboring countries. There were rumors suggesting that the treaty might allow the CCP to establish a naval base in the U.S.-controlled Pacific region, but Sogavare denied these claims.
Sogavare informed the United Nations last year that Beijing is the primary partner for infrastructure development in the Solomon Islands.
In July last year, Sogavare visited Beijing, enhancing the security agreement with the CCP covering community policing and cyber security. This raised concerns among Australia and the U.S. regarding Beijing’s maritime military ambitions.
Researcher Edward Cavanough told BBC that the election could be viewed as a “referendum” on Sogavare’s policies.
Sogavare’s political opponents criticize him for being pro-CCP, questioning if this is the best approach for the country. Some indicate that if they come to power, they would review the security agreement with the CCP, while others express a preference for collaboration with traditional Western partners like Australia.
Peter Kenilorea Jr, leader of the Unity Party and one of Sogavare’s competitors, aims to annul the security treaty with China and support relations with Western countries. He is a former U.N. official and the son of the first Prime Minister of the independent islands.
The U.S., Australia, and New Zealand have called for transparency from China regarding its proposed security role in the Solomon Islands and have urged Sogavare to respect human rights and democracy.
Sabrina Singh, Deputy Press Secretary at the Pentagon, mentioned, “(China’s) activities in the Pacific region are particularly concerning, as the terms of its negotiations with host countries and the intended purposes of these projects lack transparency and clarity.”
In February 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken announced the opening of a U.S. embassy in the Solomon Islands. The U.S. government seeks to strengthen diplomatic relations in the Pacific region to counter Chinese infiltration.
Analysts state that apart from geopolitics, this election holds significant importance for consolidating democracy in a country with a history of turmoil and coups.
The recent unrest in the capital, Honiara, including the turmoil in 2021, remains fresh in people’s memories. The political corruption, persistent poverty, and alignment with the CCP that sparked protests aiming to burn down the Prime Minister’s residence.
Election observers are monitoring the fairness and freedom of the voting process. A report from Australian scholars monitoring the elections found that in the 2019 previous elections, candidates engaged in “Devil’s Night” activities the night before the elections, distributing cash and other items indiscriminately. “Devil’s Night” on election eve earned notoriety due to candidates and their campaign teams adopting unfair practices (such as buying votes) to sway the election results in their favor.
Meg Keen, a Pacific analyst at the Lowy Institute, an Australian foreign policy think tank, stated, “In the Solomon Islands, elections primarily revolve around local issues and promises. Candidates with financial muscle and wealthy supporters have a higher chance of gaining support, even potentially being able to buy votes.”
Some political figures have accused Beijing of interfering in the elections. Researchers pointed out that a few days before the vote, the Chinese Embassy provided gifts such as fishing nets, knives, water tanks, and solar lamps to crucial provinces like Malaita.
Previous research by Australian scholars indicated that China injected funds into parliamentarians’ “constituency development funds,” which were considered as potential bribe funds.
Keen mentioned that almost all these funds flowed to parliamentary members supporting Sogavare.
Opposition leader Daniel Suidani stated in an interview with Agence France-Presse on Monday, April 15th, that China’s growing control over the Solomon Islands is increasingly worrying, “It’s concerning what China (CCP) has been doing in the past five years. Beijing’s erosive influence on democracy in the Solomon Islands makes me anxious.” Suidani accused the Chinese Communist Party of operating behind the scenes, assisting pro-Beijing members to remain in parliament.
It is reported that China lured away this former ally of Taiwan in the South Pacific with a sum of $500 million through the Belt and Road Initiative.
Responsibility Editor: Lin Yan