2013 Nui by-election

2013 Nui by-election
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Candidate Leneuoti Maatusi Palemene Anelu Taom Tanukale
Party Independent Independent Independent
Popular vote 297 206 160
Percentage 44.79% 31.07% 24.13%
MP before election

Taom Tanukale
Independent

Elected MP

Leneuoti Maatusi
Independent

A by-election was held in the Nui constituency in Tuvalu on 10 September 2013.[1] It was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, MP Taom Tanukale, the Minister for Health, in the government of Willy Telavi.[2]

Result of the by-election

The Nui by-election was held on 10 September 2013. Leneuoti Maatusi was declared the winner, polling 297 of the 778 registered voters. Matusi has been a civil servant and served as the Secretary of the Nui Falekaupule. He beat Palemene Anelu, a recent graduate of the University of the South Pacific, who received 206 votes and Taom Tanukale, who received 160 votes.[1] Nui is a two-seat constituency, and in the 2010 general election it had returned Isaia Italeli and Taom Tanukale with 24.6% and 23% of the vote respectively, ahead of three other candidates.[3]

The second member of parliament from Nui is Pelenike Isaia, who was elected following the death of her husband Isaia Italeli, in the 2011 Nui by-election.[4]

Background to the Nui by-election

Although there are no political parties in Tuvalu, Members of Parliament align themselves with the government or with the Opposition. A constitutional crisis developed in 2013 when Willy Telavi, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, refused to recall Parliament following the 2013 Nukufetau by-election. Tuvalu's opposition then requested the Governor-General Iakoba Italeli to intervene against the Prime Minister's decision not to recall Parliament.[5] On 3 July 2013 the Governor-General exercised his reserve powers in ordering Parliament to convene.[6] When the Parliament met on 30 July, the Speaker (Kamuta Latasi) refused to allow a debate on a no-confidence motion in the government of Willy Telavi. Taom Tanukale, the Health Minister then resigned from Parliament (and thus also from the government).[2] This resignation appeared to be political manoeuvre as Willy Telavi responded by insisting that Parliament should be suspended until a by-election was held and declined to call the by-election. In Tuvalu a by-election can only be called when requested by the Prime Minister.[7]

The Governor-General Iakoba Italeli then proceeded to exercise his reserve powers to order Mr Telavi's removal and the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as interim prime minister.[8] The Parliament subsequently confirmed the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as prime minister.[9] The government of Enele Sopoaga had a majority of two going into the by-election.[10] Leneuoti Maatusi, elected in the by-election, committed to support Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga.[11]

Results

Nui by-election, 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Leneuoti Maatusi 297 44.79%
Independent Palemene Anelu 206 31.07%
Independent Taom Tanukale 160 24.13%
Majority 91
Independent hold Swing n/a

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "New MP elected in Tuvalu". Islands Business from Radio Tuvalu. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Tuvalu govt bombshells". Islands Business. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  3. ^ Tuvalu Election Results, 2010 general election[usurped], Tuvalu News
  4. ^ "Tuvalu PM to remain in power", ABC Radio Australia (audio), 25 August 2011
  5. ^ Coutts, Geraldine (2 July 2013). "Tuvalu opposition demands parliament be allowed to sit after weekend by-election". Radio Australia. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Tuvalu’s parliament convenes July 30" Archived 2013-09-21 at the Wayback Machine, Islands Business, 3 July 2013
  7. ^ Cooney, Campbell (31 July 2013). "Tuvalu speaker blocks no-confidence motion". Australia News Network. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  8. ^ AFP, Report (2 August 2013). "Dismissal crisis rocks Tuvalu". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Enele Sopoaga Sworn-in Today as Tuvalu's New PM". Islands Business. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Tuvalu voters toss out cabinet minister who forced a by-election". Radio New Zealand International. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  11. ^ "New Tuvalu Govt to release road map for first 100 days in power". Radio New Zealand International. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.