By Lucy Craymer and Alasdair Pal
May 7 (Reuters) – Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele was ousted from power on Thursday after losing a confidence vote in the country’s parliament.
Manele lost the vote by a margin of 26 votes to 22, with two abstentions, the speaker of the country’s parliament, Patterson Oti, said.
“I hope as leaders, we will continue to work for the betterment of this country,” Manele told lawmakers after the vote.
“It is important for both sides of the house to continue to work together to deliver goods and services for people going forward.”
He will remain in position until he is removed by the Governor General, who acts as a representative of the country’s head of state, Britain’s King Charles.
Located 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northeast of Australia, the strategic importance of Solomon Islands has been in focus in recent years due to its strengthening ties with China. In 2022, it signed a security pact with China that prompted concern from the United States and South Pacific neighbours.
Manele’s ouster stems from a dozen government ministers defecting to the opposition in March. Manele then refused to recall parliament, avoiding a confidence vote, but was later ordered to do so by two courts.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer in Wellington and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
