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All 18 seats in the Parliament of Nauru | |||||||||||
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Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on April 26, 2008, [1] following the dissolving of Parliament by President Marcus Stephen on April 18. The decision came after what Stephen referred to as "months of political deadlock". Of the parliament's eighteen members, nine supported the Stephen government and nine were in opposition. [2] [3]
The deadlock had been exacerbated by a crisis between the President and the Speaker of Parliament, Opposition member David Adeang. On March 22, Adeang had called a Parliamentary session, allegedly without informing government ministers, who therefore did not attend. Opposition MPs, Adeang included, constituted a majority of legislators present, and passed a ruling outlawing dual citizenship for Members of Parliament. The ruling, if applied, would have affected senior Cabinet ministers Dr. Kieren Keke and Frederick Pitcher. Had they been compelled to resign from Parliament, the Opposition would have controlled a majority of seats in Parliament. The law was overturned as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, [4] and Adeang subsequently sought to suspend all pro-government MPs from Parliament, citing their allegedly "unruly behaviour". [5] A week later, Stephen dissolved Parliament.
Two observers from the Pacific Islands Forum were present to monitor the election, at the request of the Nauruan government. [6]
There were 65 candidates for the 18 seats, among whom were former Presidents Ludwig Scotty and René Harris. [7]
All nine supporters of Stephen (Stephen himself, Kieren Keke, Mathew Batsiua, Roland Kun, Frederick Pitcher, Sprent Dabwido, former Speaker Riddell Akua, Dominic Tabuna and Rykers Solomon) were reelected, while three opposition MPs (former President René Harris, Cyril Buraman and Fabian Ribauw) lost their seats; [8] the government claims it has thus won the election. [9] Indeed, all three newly elected MPs joined the government and thereby ended the legislative deadlock. [10] The new parliament was expected to hold its first session on 29 April 2008. [11]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporters of Marcus Stephen | 12 | |||
| Other candidates | 6 | |||
| Total | 18 | |||
| Total votes | 4,607 | – | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 5,235 | 88.00 | ||
| Source: ABC Radio Australia, IPU | ||||
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiwo | Dantes Tsitsi | 225.83 | Re-elected |
| Godfrey Awaire Thoma | 203.32 | Re-elected after previous defeat [8] | |
| Aaron Stein Cook | 187.43 | ||
| René Harris | 181.70 | Unseated | |
| Preston Thoma | 152.77 | ||
| Elkoga Gadabu | 136.75 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 4 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 448 | ||
| Anabar | Ludwig Derangadage Scotty | 240.43 | Re-elected |
| Riddell Akua | 227.67 | Re-elected | |
| Tyrone Deiye | 146.58 | ||
| James Deireragea | 146.52 | ||
| David Peter Gadaraoa | 125.06 | ||
| Espen Jubal Fritz | 105.12 | ||
| Andre Adun | 104.53 | ||
| Corey Menke | 100.96 | ||
| Christopher Agiar Quadina | 87.48 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 13 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 467 | ||
| Anetan | Marcus Stephen | 325.57 | Re-elected |
| Landon Deireragea | 236.35 | Elected | |
| Cyril Buraman | 228.27 | Unseated | |
| Remy Namaduk | 211.02 | ||
| Fabian Ika | 181.57 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 6 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 524 | ||
| Boe | Mathew Batsiua | 266.88 | Re-elected |
| Baron Divavesi Waqa | 229.18 | Re-elected | |
| Vollmer Mercury Appi | 178.00 | ||
| Bernard Grundler | 168.37 | ||
| Morgan Solomon | 136.33 | ||
| Samuel Robinen Angabwiy | 118.83 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 450 | ||
| Buada | Shadlog Bernicke | 193.30 | Re-elected |
| Roland Kun | 185.79 | Re-elected | |
| Vinson Franco Detenamo | 175.41 | ||
| Monte Depaune | 150.95 | ||
| Alexander George Stephen | 135.82 | ||
| Lionel Abungidage Fritz | 114.13 | ||
| Yvette Duburiya | 112.86 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 8 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 420 | ||
| Meneng | Rykers Solomon | 320.23 | Re-elected |
| Sprent Dabwido | 316.20 | Re-elected | |
| Doneke Benedict Kepae | 225.19 | ||
| Dogabe Jeremiah | 207.75 | ||
| Nemo Levi Agadio | 187.62 | ||
| Russell David Daoe | 168.15 | ||
| Jeziel Jeremiah | 156.50 | ||
| Darius Rock | 147.62 | ||
| Joseph Laben Hiram | 144.22 | ||
| Davey Roxen Agadio | 137.62 | ||
| Rick Daoe | 136.04 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 25 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 736 | ||
| Ubenide | Frederick William Pitcher | 481.59 | Re-elected |
| David Adeang | 406.76 | Re-elected | |
| Valdon Kape Dowiyogo | 383.00 | Re-elected | |
| Aloysius Iyomogo Amwano | 308.47 | Re-elected after three previous defeats [8] | |
| Ruston Marcus Kun | 287.68 | ||
| Fabian Ribauw | 260.03 | Unseated | |
| Alf Itsimaera | 222.96 | ||
| Renos Renige Agege | 190.52 | ||
| Michael Grillo Dekarube | 183.29 | ||
| Adonis Gioura | 183.09 | ||
| Skipper Hiram | 176.89 | ||
| Briar-Rose Alona | 173.74 | ||
| Ceila Cecilia Giouba | 173.74 | ||
| Michael Fury Roland | 169.59 | ||
| Dempsey Keppa | 168.17 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 48 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 1,184 | ||
| Yaren | Dominic Joselito Tabuna | 227.83 | Re-elected |
| Kieren Keke | 222.95 | Re-elected | |
| Charmaine Scotty | 166.90 | ||
| John Daigon Julius | 110.82 | ||
| Brian Joseph Amwano | 101.22 | ||
| Johnny Taumea Agadio | 91.48 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2 | ||
| Total Votes Cast | 378 | ||
| Source: Republic of Nauru Government Gazette, 26 April, 2008 | |||
The politics of Nauru take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Ludwig Derangadage Scotty is a Nauruan politician who twice served as President of Nauru and was Speaker of Parliament five times between 2000 and 2016. He served as president from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003 and again from 22 July 2004 until his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007. He was elected as president in 2003, again from November 2010 to April 2013, and from June 2013 to June 2016.
René Reynaldo Harris was President of the Republic of Nauru four times between 1999 and 2004. He was a Member of Parliament from 1977 to 2008.
Nauru First is the only formal political party in Nauru.
Kieren Aedogan Ankwong Keke is a Nauruan politician and medical doctor. He is a member of the Parliament of Nauru and former Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Russell Effaney Kun is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and former powerlifter.
David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and Nauru's Minister of Finance and Justice, as well as the Minister Assisting the President of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo, currently the only successful political party on the island.
Marcus Ajemada Stephen is a Nauruan politician and former sportsperson who previously was a member of the Cabinet of Nauru, and who served as President of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. The son of Nauruan parliamentarian Lawrence Stephen, Stephen was educated at St Bedes College and RMIT University in Victoria, Australia. Initially playing Australian rules football, he opted to pursue the sport of weightlifting, in which he represented Nauru at the Summer Olympics and Commonwealth Games between 1990 and 2002, winning seven Commonwealth gold medals.
The Parliament of Nauru has 19 members, elected for a three-year term in multi-seat constituencies. The President of Nauru is elected by the members of the Parliament. The number of seats was increased to 19 following elections in 2013.
Michael Riddell Akua is a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru.
Kennan Ranibok Adeang was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru for three separate periods during the late 20th century. Born in Nauru, and educated in Australia, including at the Australian School of Pacific Administration, Adeang was first elected to the Parliament of Nauru in 1971, representing the seat of Ubenide, and became a noted opponent of Hammer DeRoburt, the country's first president. He first became president in 1986, serving two short terms at the end of that year. In the following year, 1987, Adeang was involved in the establishment of the Democratic Party of Nauru, one of the first political parties in Nauru. He again served as president in late 1996, but lost power after a motion of no confidence. Adeang was active in parliament until 2000, serving at various times in the Cabinet, and also as Speaker from February 1997 to December 1998. In 2007, he was appointed High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji, serving in the position until his death in 2011. His son, David Adeang, also served in the Nauruan parliament, occupying the same constituency as his father.
Frederick William Pitcher is a Nauruan political figure. In December 2007, Pitcher was appointed Minister of Finance of Nauru, to serve in the Administration of President Marcus Stephen.
Roland Tullen Kun is a Nauruan politician and Member of Parliament.
Baron Divavesi Waqa is a Nauruan politician who was the 14th President of Nauru from 11 June 2013 until 27 August 2019. He previously served as Minister of Education from 2004 to 2007.
Godfrey Awaire Thoma is a Nauruan politician and police officer.
Aloysius Arabao Iyomogo Edrick Amwano is a Nauruan politician.
Topics related to Nauru include:
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 24 April 2010, following the dissolution of parliament by President Marcus Stephen on 16 March 2010. The election was called due to repeated attempts to oust the government of Marcus Stephen in votes of no-confidence. There were 86 candidates, eight of them women.
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