Early parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 12 November 1977, after Parliament had been dissolved by President Bernard Dowiyogo due to a sustained campaign against the government led by former President Hammer DeRoburt, who had been voted out of office the previous year. Particular controversy had been caused by the Supply Act passed in June, and Dowiyogo stated that elections would be held to give him a mandate. [1] After Parliament failed to approve the budget, Dowiyogo asked Speaker David Gadaraoa to dissolve the legislature. [2]
Nine seats were won by supporters of Dowiyogo (who ran under the Nauru Party banner), eight by those of DeRoburt, and one by a candidate without any affiliation, but who supported the Nauru Party. [1] Following the election, Dowiyogo was re-elected President by Parliament on 15 November.
A total of 52 candidates contested the 18 seats. [3]
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nauru Party | 9 | |||
DeRoburt supporters | 8 | |||
Independents | 1 | |||
Total | 18 | |||
Valid votes | 1,557 | 97.37 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 42 | 2.63 | ||
Total votes | 1,599 | 100.00 | ||
Source: IPU, Gazette |
Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Aiwo | René Harris | 97.0071 | Elected |
Kinza Clodumar | 88.2904 | Elected | |
Theodore Conrad Moses | 71.4167 | ||
Samuel Tsitsi | 62.5261 | ||
Deidienak Anako Daniel | 54.3261 | ||
Reginald Roderick Akiri | 48.3238 | ||
August Detonga Deiye | 42.2309 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 1 | ||
Total votes cast | 180 | ||
Anabar | Obeira Menke | 95.0833 | Elected |
David Peter Gadaraoa | 76.6667 | Elected | |
Maein Deireragea | 68.3333 | ||
Agoko James Doguape | 59.9167 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 0 | ||
Total votes cast | 144 | ||
Anetan | Roy Degoregore | 115.3333 | Elected |
Adago Deinuwea Bucky Idarabwe | 104.5000 | Elected | |
Lawrence Stephen | 92.3333 | ||
Rimone Jack Tom | 73.2500 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 1 | ||
Total votes cast | 186 | ||
Boe | Hammer DeRoburt | 123.7500 | Elected |
Kenas Aroi | 86.2500 | Elected | |
Alexander Deraoadi Deiye | 67.2500 | ||
Bill Gouratake Star | 58.1666 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 1 | ||
Total votes cast | 162 | ||
Buada | Ruben Kun | 89.6333 | Elected |
Totouwa Depaune | 84.2500 | Elected | |
Deang Detabene | 73.0833 | ||
Alec Hindermarsh Stephen | 68.7000 | ||
Rennie Angin Harris | 51.9500 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 6 | ||
Total votes cast | 167 | ||
Meneng | James Ategan Bop | 117.2333 | Elected |
Robert Eoe | 108.3096 | Elected | |
Frank Sinatra Jannecke Canon | 105.2834 | ||
Denimidaoao Christmas Bam | 76.1047 | ||
Paul Denebauwa Jeremiah | 74.8500 | ||
David Audi Areyamago Dabwido | 66.3023 | ||
Alec Dogaben Jimrock Harris | 63.8309 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 11 | ||
Total votes cast | 247 | ||
Ubenide | Bernard Dowiyogo | 172.6527 | Elected |
Lagumot Harris | 111.7637 | Elected | |
Buraro Detudamo | 107.6857 | Elected | |
Kennan Adeang | 107.0424 | Elected | |
Derog Gioura | 100.0922 | ||
Victor Eoaeo | 84.6302 | ||
Andrew Tamakin | 72.7033 | ||
Mark Denis Kun | 56.7531 | ||
Paul Ribauw | 56.0412 | ||
Joseph Hiram | 47.2596 | ||
James DeLuckner Aingimea | 44.9044 | ||
Johnny Aton Dongobir | 43.4840 | ||
Ateiwagaen Agege | 43.1220 | ||
Royden Hiram | 42.4238 | ||
Davey Hiram | 38.6493 | ||
Demode Idagnaderan Aliklik | 35.9316 | ||
Sohrab Detsiyogo | 35.2571 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 20 | ||
Total votes cast | 369 | ||
Yaren | Joseph Detsimea Audoa | 88.4167 | Elected |
Leo Keke | 77.2500 | Elected | |
Pres Nimes Ekwona | 68.7500 | ||
Alfred Derangdedage Dick | 61.4167 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 2 | ||
Total votes cast | 144 | ||
Source: Republic of Nauru Government Gazette, 14 November, 1977 |
Following the elections, the newly elected Parliament met on 15 November. Gadaraoa was re-elected as Speaker and Leo Keke as Deputy Speaker, both running unopposed. [3]
Dowiyogo and DeRoburt were the two nominees for president, with Dowiyogo winning by nine votes to eight. [3] He subsequently formed a cabinet consisting of Kenas Aroi as Minister of Island Development, Industry and Civil Aviation, Kinza Clodumar as Minister of Finance, Lagumot Harris as Minister of Education and Health and Ruben Kun as Minister of Works. After the new government was formed, DeRoburt refused to follow parliamentary procedure or instructions from the Speaker. [4]
Following a heated budget debate at the start of January, during which Dowiyogo resigned and was re-elected, Clodumar was sacked as Minister of Finance and replaced by Kun. Leo Keke was appointed Minister of Works. [4] However, Dowiyogo resigned again in April 1978 after a bill was defeated in parliament. Lagumot Harris was elected president, but resigned less than a month later when another bill was rejected. Following Harris' resignation, DeRoburt was elected. [5]
His cabinet included Buraro Detudamo as Minister of Justice, James Ategan Bop as Minister of Finance, Joseph Detsimea Audoa as Minister for Education and Health and Totouwa Depaune as Minister for Works and Community Services. A cabinet reshuffle in December 1978 saw Harris replace Depaune as Minister for Works and Community Services, Kenas Aroi take over as Minister for Justice, Detudamo become Minister for Finance. [6]
The politics of Nauru take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
René Reynaldo Harris was President of the Republic of Nauru four times between 1999 and 2004. He was a Member of Parliament from 1977 to 2008.
Ruben James Kun was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and was president of the Republic of Nauru.
Kinza Godfrey Clodumar was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru from 1997 to 1998.
Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere Harris was a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru, and served as its President. He was a cousin of René Harris.
Kenas Aroi was a Nauruan political figure. He was President of the Republic of Nauru from 17 August to 12 December 1989.
Kennan Ranibok Adeang was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru for three separate periods during the late 20th century. Born in Nauru, and educated in Australia, including at the Australian School of Pacific Administration, Adeang was first elected to the Parliament of Nauru in 1971, representing the seat of Ubenide, and became a noted opponent of Hammer DeRoburt, the country's first president. He first became president in 1986, serving two short terms at the end of that year. In the following year, 1987, Adeang was involved in the establishment of the Democratic Party of Nauru, one of the first political parties in Nauru. He again served as president in late 1996, but lost power after a motion of no confidence. Adeang was active in parliament until 2000, serving at various times in the Cabinet, and also as Speaker from February 1997 to December 1998. In 2007, he was appointed High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji, serving in the position until his death in 2011. His son, David Adeang, also served in the Nauruan parliament, occupying the same constituency as his father.
Topics related to Nauru include:
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 3 May 2003 to elect members of the Parliament of Nauru. The election took place with Nauru having economic difficulties and a large budget deficit. This was the main issue in the election, which followed a period where a number of presidents had been elected for short periods of time. However the election resulted in deadlock for several weeks afterwards, with parliament divided between three candidates for president. It was only at the end of May that Ludwig Scotty was elected as the new president of Nauru and was able to form a new government.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 23 January 1971. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. Following the election, Hammer DeRoburt was re-elected president by members of the Parliament.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 18 December 1976. Following the election, Bernard Dowiyogo was elected President by Members of the Parliament.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 6 December 1980. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. The election was won by supporters of President Hammer DeRoburt, who re-elected him President on 9 December.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 3 December 1983. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. Following the election, President Hammer DeRoburt was re-elected by ten votes to six.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 9 December 1989, after the resignation of President Hammer DeRoburt following a vote of no-confidence in August and the subsequent resignation of his replacement, Kenas Aroi, for health reasons. Following the election Bernard Dowiyogo was elected President by the Parliament, defeating DeRoburt. Voter turnout was 88.7%.
Buraro Robidok Bagewa Detudamo was a Nauruan politician. He was the only son of Timothy Detudamo and brother-in-law to Kennan Adeang. When Buraro was a boy, his family went to Chuuk Islands.
Vinson Franco Detenamo is a Nauruan politician.
The Ministry of Justice and Border Control of Nauru upholds the Constitution, provides legal advice to the federal government and represents the interests of the country in civil and criminal matters. It is divided into six sections:
James Ategan Bop was a Nauruan politician. He served as a member of Parliament and its predecessors from 1951 to 1955 and then from 1959 until his death, and was Minister of Finance for most of the period between 1968 and 1978.
Leo Depagadogi Keke was a Nauruan lawyer and politician. Keke was the first Nauruan lawyer. He served as an MP from 1976 to 1980. He was minister of justice from 1979 to 1980.
Totouwa Depaune was a Nauruan politician. He served as minister of public works and community services in 1978.