Solomon Islands Delays Elections, Opponents Denounce Unconstitutional Power Grab

The Solomon Islands Parliament on Thursday voted to postpone the next general election until late April 2024, roughly seven months behind schedule. Opposition leaders blasted the move as an unconstitutional power grab by pro-China Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who claimed the delay was necessary because the island nation will host the Pacific Games in November 2023.

Sogavare submitted the bill to postpone the elections in a rushed procedure that bypassed the usual period for commentary and debate. His supporters hold an overwhelming majority of seats in the legislature, so the bill passed on a vote of 37-9 with three abstentions. The current Parliament will now remain in power until the last day of December 2023.

“The reasons are simple and we have consistently said this since day one, we cannot successfully host the national general election and the Pacific Games in the same year while our economy is still recovering from the impacts of Covid-19 and the damage caused by public unrest,” Sogavare said.

Opposition lawmaker Peter Kenilorea Jr. accused Sogavare of delaying elections so he can consolidate power, and warned he might soon feel strong enough to cancel the election altogether.

“It’s an authoritarian move. This is all about him staying in power for as long as he can,” he said on Thursday.

Kenilorea worried that restless citizens might use the delayed election as “an excuse to perhaps do something” of a violent nature, and that Sogavare might use such unrest as an excuse to bring Chinese security forces into the Solomon Islands.

“There was clear intent to hide the decision from the public. Since February 2021, the PM schemed to not allocate resources to the electoral commission for elections preparations in the normal manner,” another opposition politician, Matthew Wale, said in Parliament.

“The people’s government and the people’s parliament are being abused in this bill by the few who are exercising executive government powers,” Wale said.

“The prime minister has succeeded in making us the laughingstock of the region as the country that is prepared to tamper with its constitution for a two-week event against the clear wishes of its people,” he charged.

Sogavare was almost toppled by protests in November after he switched the Solomon Islands’ diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Communist China. The protests grew into riots, including at least three people killed under unclear circumstances.

The prime minister survived a subsequent vote of no confidence, then moved his country further into Beijing’s orbit by signing a security pact with China in March. Australia, longtime chief security partner for the Solomons, strenuously objected to the China agreement. 

Sogavare responded by accusing Australia and other Western powers of attempting to undermine his government, and even accused them of plotting to invade the Solomon Islands. For good measure, he expressed support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and bizarrely praised the oppressive Chinese government’s commitment to religious freedom for Christians.

In August, the Solomon Islands refused docking permission for American and British Coast Guard ships. Sogavare backpedaled from the snub and claimed it was merely a paperwork snafu, then temporarily halted all naval visits, although an exception was made for the U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy.

Sogavare once again accused Australia of “an attempt to directly interfere in our domestic affairs” on Thursday, mocking Australia’s offer to finance the 2023 election so they would not have to be delayed to accommodate the Pacific Games. 

When Australia made the offer on Tuesday, Sogavare’s government denounced it as a scurrilous effort to influence parliamentary votes on the election delay bill. On the other hand, Sogavare had no problem with China’s offer to build a $50 million stadium for the Pacific Games.

On Thursday, Sogavare taunted the Austrlaians by saying he intends to call upon their promise and make them fund his delayed elections in 2024.

“They’ve offered now, so you get ready brother to fund the costs. It’s a big cost, Mr Speaker. The electoral commission needs a lot of money,” he said in an address to Parliament.