The 11th Parliament of Solomon Islands was the sitting of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands from 2019 to 2024. [1] They were elected in the 2019 Solomon Islands general election.
Ethel Lency Vokia won a by-election in 2020 to replace her husband Jaimie Vokia in the North East Guadalcanal constituency. [2]
Politics of Solomon Islands takes place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic, constitutional monarchy. Solomon Islands is an independent Commonwealth realm, where executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and a multi-party parliament.
Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons, is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, to the northeast of Australia. It is directly adjacent to Papua New Guinea to the west, Australia to the southwest, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the southeast, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu to the east, and Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia to the north. It has a total area of 28,896 square kilometres, and a population of 734,887 according to the official estimates for mid 2023. Its capital and largest city, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal. The country takes its name from the wider area of the Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a collection of Melanesian islands that also includes the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, but excludes the Santa Cruz Islands.
Allan Kemakeza was the prime minister of Solomon Islands from 2001 to 2006. He represented Savo/Russel Constituency in the National Parliament of Solomon Islands from 1989 to 2010 and was most recently Minister of Forestry December 2007 to August 2010. He served as Speaker of the National Parliament, from September 2010 to 2014.
Sir Peter Kenilorea was a Solomon Islander politician, officially styled The Rt Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea as a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. He was the first prime minister of an independent Solomon Islands, from 1978–1981, and also served a second term from 1984–1986.
The prime minister of Solomon Islands is Solomon Islands' head of government, consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the National Parliament. Since May 2024 Jeremiah Manele has been the prime minister of Solomon Islands.
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare is a Solomon Islander politician serving as Minister of Finance since 2024. He served as the prime minister of Solomon Islands for a total of nine years from 2000–2001, 2006–2007, 2014–2017, and 2019–2024. Sogavare has served in the National Parliament representing East Choiseul since 1997.
The monarchy of Solomon Islands is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Solomon Islands. The monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022 is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Solomon Islands. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Solomon Islands and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Solomon Islands. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Danny Philip is a politician and diplomat from the Solomon Islands. He was the prime minister of Solomon Islands from 2010 to 2011. Previously he served as the minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 1996 and from July 2000 to June 2001. He was the leader of the People's Progressive Party from 1997 to 2000, then founded the Reform Democratic Party, of which he was the leader when elected Prime Minister.
Sir Francis Billy Hilly is a Solomon Islands politician who was the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 18 June 1993 to 7 November 1994. He represented the Ranogga/Simbo Constituency in the National Parliament from 1976 to 1984, and has represented the constituency again since 1993. Hilly has been Minister of Commerce, Industry and Employment since December 2007.
Jeremiah Manele is a Solomon Island politician serving as prime minister following the 2024 Solomon Islands general election. He is the first prime minister of the country to come from Isabel Province.
The Speaker of the National Parliament is the Speaker of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. The position was established under section 64 of the Constitution of the Solomon Islands of 1978, when the country became independent from the United Kingdom. It is similar to the position of Speaker of the House of Commons in the U.K.; the Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm and maintains a Westminster system of government.
North East Guadalcanal is a parliamentary constituency electing one representative to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. It is one of eight constituencies in Guadalcanal Province. It had an electorate of 5,584 in 2006.
In the Solomon Islands, the Leader of the Official Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the National Parliament that is not in government. The title of "Leader of the Opposition" is common to the Commonwealth realms and several other Commonwealth countries, though in Solomon Islands it is specifically defined by the Constitution. The Leader of the Opposition appoints and leads a Shadow Cabinet. The current Leader of the Opposition, since December 2014, is Jeremiah Manele.
General elections were held in Solomon Islands on 3 April 2019 to determine the composition of the 11th Parliament. The election was the first to occur since the conclusion of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in 2017. Parliament passed amendments to the electoral act in 2018 that included the introduction of pre-polling, a significant increase in campaign budgets for candidates and stricter penalties for individuals committing electoral offences such as vote-buying. Ten of the thirteen parties that contested the election won seats, and the Solomon Islands Democratic Party and the Kadere Party were the parties that secured the highest number, winning eight each. However, as in previous elections, independent candidates won the largest share of seats, securing 21.
Events in Oceania, during 2019.
Lanelle Olandrea Tanangada is a Solomon Islands teacher and politician who has served as the country's Education Minister since April 2020.
Lillian Maefai was a member of the Parliament of the Solomon Islands. She was only the fifth woman ever to be elected to that parliament.
Ethel Lency Vokia is a member of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. In 2020 she became the fourth woman in the 2019-2024 Parliament and only the sixth woman ever to be elected to that Parliament.
The Kadere Party is a political party in Solomon Islands. It tends to be most popular among those in the shipping and logging industries.