OUR Party leads number game with 15 members

By Fredrick Kusu

The Ownership, United and Responsibility (OUR) Party is now leading the political number game with 15 members being elected into the 12th parliament.

This comes after the declaration of the Member of Parliament elect for East Guadalcanal constituency Bradley Tovosia and Member of Parliament elect for Central Guadalcanal Peter Shanel Angovaka.

The Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE) consisting of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) and Democratic Alliance Party (DAP) now has 13 members. 11 from SIDP, 1 from DAP and 1 from IUMI for Change Party.

The Solomon Islands United Party (UP) secured 7 members, Solomon Islands Peoples First Party (SIPFP) with 3 members, Kandere Party (KP) with 1 member and Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA) with 1 member.

Meanwhile the current number of independent candidates is 10. A candidate who contested as an independent candidate has confirmed affiliation with UP.

As counting for the Central Guadalcanal constituency is continuing, the initial lobbying process could have started among all parties who secured a number of members so far.

As it is now, OUR Party, the CARE coalition and UP now have the upper hand to influence other parties to form a coalition.

The partner coalition of OUR Party in the previous coalition government, SIPFP, had 3 members and there are possibilities whether to or not form another coalition.

The Independent members with their current number could attract more influence and initiate negotiations from major parties to join certain parties in order to achieve an absolute majority of all seats in parliament. 

Speaking to SIBC, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Affairs at the University of the South Pacific Dr Gordon Nanau said with the current number of independent elected MPs, they have the power in determining the formation of the next government despite the sizable number of seats secured by major parties.

He said politics in Solomon Islands is unpredictable because anything can happen at any time.

The 50 seats in parliament have now being filled and coalitions from the parties are expected to be formed in the comming days.

ENDS///