The politics of the Cook Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Monarch of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the King or Queen's Representative, was the Head of State; the prime minister is the head of government of a multi-party system. The nation is self-governing and are fully responsible for internal and foreign affairs. Since 2001, the Cook Islands has run its own foreign and defence policy. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the islands' parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislatures.
Jim Marurai was a Cook Islands politician who served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party is a political party in the Cook Islands. As a result of the 2022 Cook Islands election, it is currently in opposition, holding five seats in the Cook Islands Parliament.
Joseph Williams was a Cook Islands politician and physician who served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands for four months in 1999. He is credited with having worked to prevent the spread of the tropical disease lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis). He principally resided in Auckland, New Zealand, where he was medical director of the Mt Wellington Integrated Family Health Centre.
Albert Royle Henry was the first Premier of the Cook Islands and the founder and first leader of the Cook Islands Party (CIP). First elected Premier in August 1965, he was unseated in the aftermath of the 1978 election after an electoral petition found he had committed electoral fraud. He was later stripped of his knighthood. In 2023 he was posthumously pardoned.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 16 June 1999 to elect 25 MPs to the Parliament. The Cook Islands Party won 11 seats, the Democratic Alliance Party 10 seats, and the New Alliance Party 4 seats.
Norman George is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 30 March 1983. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP) of Geoffrey Henry, who became Prime Minister. However, the CIP lost their majority by the end of July, eventually resulting in Parliament being dissolved and new elections called in November 1983.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 2 November 1983. The result was a victory for the Democratic Party, which won 13 of the 24 seats. A coalition government was formed with the opposition Cook Islands Party, with Democratic Party leader Thomas Davis as Prime Minister and CIP leader Geoffrey Henry as Deputy Prime Minister. Henry was later replaced with Terepai Maoate.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 17 November 2010 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party, which won 16 of the 24 seats. Voter turnout was 78%.
Sir Tom John Marsters, is the current King's Representative to the Cook Islands. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Foreign Minister, and Deputy Leader of the Cook Islands Party.
Henry Tuakeu Puna is a Cook Islands politician, and the current secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum. He was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from November 2010 to October 2020. Since 2006 he has been leader of the Cook Islands Party.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 May 1968. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP), which won 16 seats, a gain of two from the 1965 elections. The newly formed United Cook Islanders won the other six seats to become the parliamentary opposition. CIP leader Albert Henry continued as Prime Minister.
The United Cook Islanders was a political party in the Cook Islands. It was established on 16 February 1968 in order to challenge the then-dominant Cook Islands Party and provide a more organised opposition. The party was organised by David Hosking and Taira Rere. Prominent members included former CIP cabinet ministers Manea Tamarua and Mana Strickland. The party did not initially have a formal leader, though Hosking served as "campaign leader"
Sir Geoffrey Arama Henry was a Cook Island politician who was twice the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was leader of the Cook Islands Party (CIP) from 1979 to 2006.
Te Ariki Terau Mana Strickland BEM was a Cook Island educator and politician. He was the Minister of Education in the first Cook Islands government after self-government was obtained in 1965.
Marguerite Nora Eikura Kitimira Story,, was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands from 1965 to 1979. She was the first female cabinet member in the Cook Islands and the first woman in the Commonwealth to become speaker of a national parliament.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 9 July 2014, determining the membership of the 16th Cook Islands Parliament.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 14 June 2018 to elect the 24 members of the 17th Cook Islands Parliament.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 August 2022. A referendum on legalising medical cannabis was held on the same day.
