2013 Nauruan parliamentary election

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2013 Nauruan parliamentary election
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Presidential vote
  Baron Waqa.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Baron Waqa Roland Kun
Electoral vote135
President before election

Sprent Dabwido

President-designate

Baron Waqa

Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 8 June 2013. [1] After Parliament was dissolved on 1 March, [2] the elections were set for 6 April. [3] However, a Supreme Court ruling annulled the dissolution and cancelled the elections. [4] Parliament was dissolved again on 23 May, approximately one month before the normal end of its mandate, and elections were set for 22 June 2013, [5] however President Sprent Dabwido declared a state of emergency and brought the election forward to 8 June. [1] Parliament first sat on June 11 and Fisheries Minister Baron Waqa, the leader of the government forces, was elected president. [6]

Contents

Background

In February 2013 a constitutional crisis developed after two cabinet members resigned and a third was sacked by President Sprent Dabwido, leaving just two members in the cabinet, whilst the 18-member Parliament split into three factions. [7] On 1 March Parliamentary Speaker Ludwig Scotty dissolved Parliament due to unruly behaviour by MPs, [8] and elections were set for 6 April.

Former President Marcus Stephen, who was one of the cabinet members to leave in February threatened to bring a legal challenge against the dissolution, claiming it had been carried out in an unconstitutional manner as MPs had not been given the chance to challenge the dissolution. [9] When Stephens and seven other MPs did take the matter to the Supreme Court, it ruled that the adjournment had been carried out unconstitutionally. [10] However, a government spokesman claimed that the Court had no power to force Scotty to reconvene Parliament. [11]

In mid-March the Supreme Court ruled that as the dissolution was null and void, the writ issued for elections in April was also null and void. [4]

Speaker Scotty resigned on 18 April and was replaced by Godfrey Thoma on 25 April. Thoma announced on 16 May that Parliament would be dissolved a week from that date. [12] Speaker Thoma dissolved Parliament on 23 May and set elections for 22 June. [5] On 27 May 2013 President Dabwido declared a state of emergency and re-set the election for 8 June 2013. [1]

Electoral system

MPs are elected in eight multi-members constituencies using the Dowdall system, a modified version of the Borda count. Voters rank candidates by preference, with the first preference given a score of 1, the second preference a score of 1⁄2, the third preference a score of 1⁄3 and so on. Voters must rank all candidates on the ballot for it to be valid. The candidates with the highest scores win the seats in a constituency. [13]

Until this election there had been 18 seats in Parliament with seven two-seat constituencies and one four-seat constituency, but following the June 2010 elections Parliament passed a bill to increase the number of seats to 19 to avoid 9–9 ties in the legislature. [14] The extra member will be elected in the Meneng Constituency, which previously had two seats. [15]

A record total of 68 candidates registered for the elections. [16]

Results

PartyVotes%Seats
Supporters of Baron Waqa 14
Opponents of Baron Waqa 5
Total19
Total votes5,349–
Registered voters/turnout5,52896.76
Source: Turner IPU

By constituency

ConstituencyCandidateVotesNotes
Aiwo Milton Dube 310.450Elected
Aaron Cook 251.017Elected
Dantes Tsitsi 228.433
Godfrey Thoma 205.800
Pamela Eibutsina Scriven170.950
Lance Agir136.567
Preston Thoma134.633
Tazio Gideon119.383
Invalid/blank votes17
Total699
Anabar Ludwig Scotty 255.300Elected
Riddell Akua 242.500Elected
Tyrone Deiye208.700
Jaden Adun204.367
Melissa Ika165.117
Paul Nubwit Doguape136.717
Invalid/blank votes15
Total510
Anetan Cyril Buraman 321.819Elected
Marcus Stephen 299.493Elected
Landon Deireragea 264.029
Aloysius Gonzaga Namaduk185.562
Begg Adire177.245
Haseldon Buraman168.400
Paul Ika164.095
Invalid/blank votes20
Total630
Boe Mathew Batsiua 279.619Elected
Baron Waqa 224.467Elected
Abraham Aremwa194.350
Bryan Star172.100
Lidira Ephraim152.167
Kinza Clodumar 138.600
Invalid/blank votes10
Total484
Buada Roland Kun 235.308Elected
Shadlog Bernicke 233.032Elected
Bingham Agir 203.975
Sean Halstead154.451
Vinson Detenamo 153.155
Arrow Depaune140.592
Ace Capelle139.042
Ishmael Fritz131.988
Invalid/blank votes13
Total525
Meneng Sprent Dabwido 374.758Elected
Lyn-Wannan Kam 356.112Elected
Squire Jeremiah 303.370Elected
Lionel Aingimea 272.512
Rykers Solomon 253.298
Elvin Brechtefeld237.266
Doneke Jim Kepae228.710
Clint Deidenang191.806
Sambruce Akibwib188.619
Jerielyn Teleni186.341
Nemo Levi Agadio185.627
John Taumea Agadio172.250
Nickos Simon166.315
Invalid/blank votes37
Total941
Ubenide David Adeang 427.680Elected
Valdon Dowiyogo 388.999Elected
Russ J. Kun 373.357Elected
Ranin Akua 357.949Elected
Aloysius Amwano 309.684
Julian Itsimaera309.271
Freddie Pitcher 282.819
Samuel Hansome Adumur267.771
George Giovanni Gioura252.633
Vyko Adeang207.965
Renos Agege194.381
Arde Ricky Bam189.442
David Corey Dowiyogo180.847
Darned Dongobir172.084
Invalid/blank votes61
Total1,265
Yaren Charmaine Scotty 303.067Elected
Kieren Keke 211.167Elected
Dominic Tabuna 187.467
John Daigon Panen Julius170.333
Omeri Agigo142.667
Brian Amwano131.900
Invalid/blank votes6
Total474
Total5,528
Source: Republic of Nauru Government Gazette, 9 June 2013

Presidential election

On 11 June the newly elected MPs elected the president, who was required by the constitution be a member of parliament. [17] Baron Waqa defeated Roland Kun by 13 votes to five. [18]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Nauru calls emergency for early elections Adelaid Now, 27 May 2013
  2. ↑ Nauru awaits election date with parliament set to be dissolved PINA, 1 March 2013
  3. ↑ "Nauru parliament dissolved and election date announced". Radio New Zealand . 11 March 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Supreme court orders cancellation of Nauru election". Radio New Zealand . 15 March 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  5. 1 2 Nauru calls June 22 election Archived 2014-01-03 at the Wayback Machine 9 News, 23 May 2013
  6. ↑ "Baron Waqa named as new Nauru president - Yahoo!7". Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  7. ↑ Nauru MP Alleges Government Has Lost Mandate Archived 2014-02-03 at the Wayback Machine Pacific Islands Report, 20 February 2013
  8. ↑ Nauru's Speaker dissolves parliament Politics Abroad, 1 March 2013
  9. ↑ "Nauru MP could bring legal challenge over parliamentary adjournment". Radio New Zealand . 2 March 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "Nauru court rules parliament illegally adjourned". Radio New Zealand . 6 March 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Nauru parliament adjournment risks constitutional crisis". Radio New Zealand . 7 March 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Nauru MPs fail to topple president". Radio New Zealand . 17 May 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Election Profile IFES
  14. ↑ Nauru country brief Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  15. ↑ President Dabwido gives it another go Archived 2013-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Island Business, 6 June 2013
  16. ↑ Nauru prepares for 'critical' elections this weekend Archived 2013-10-27 at the Wayback Machine RZNI, 7 June 2013
  17. ↑ "Constitution of Nauru". The President III, Constitution of 29 January 1968 (PDF). The Parliament of Nauru. p. 12-13.
  18. ↑ "Nauru swears in new president". Bangkok Post. 11 June 2013.
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