2023 Micronesian parliamentary election

Last updated

2023 Micronesian parliamentary election
Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg
  2021 7 March 2023 2025  

All 14 seats in Congress
Presidential election
  2019 11 May 20232027 
  T.H. Wesley W. Simina.jpg
Nominee Wesley Simina
Electoral vote Acclamation

President
before election

David Panuelo

Elected
President

Wesley Simina

Parliamentary elections were held in the Federated States of Micronesia on 7 March 2023 to elect the fourteen members of the Congress: ten representatives of the districts, and four senators each representing one of the four states. [1]

Contents

Context

The elections of 2019 saw the re-election of the thirteen outgoing senators vying for a new term, including three elected unopposed in their constituencies. The then incumbent President, Peter Christian, however, was defeated as Pohnpei State Senator, leading to the indirect election of David Panuelo as president. The 2021 legislative election led to the reappointment of the ten outgoing deputies.

President Panuelo ran for re-election in 2023, but announced that this election would be his last. [2] The Pacific Islands Forum sent an election observer team led by a senior officer from the Republic of Marshall Islands Electoral Administration. [3]

Electoral system and politics

The Federated States of Micronesia is a federal presidential republic. The president is both head of state and government. There are no political parties in the Federated States of Micronesia, so all candidates and elected members are independent.

The Congress has fourteen members. Four of them represent one of the four federated states, and are elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage and by the citizens of their respective states. The remaining ten are elected by citizens by single majority voting for two-year terms, from ten constituencies divided by population: five in the state of Chuuk, one in the state of Kosrae, three in the state of Pohnpei, and one in the state of Yap. After the legislative election, the President and Vice President are indirectly elected by Congress from among the Senators, for a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. Their positions as Senators are filled by a new election.

Results

StateDistrictCandidateVotes%Notes
Chuuk At-Large Wesley Simina 12,75663.27Re-elected
Gillian Doone3,71118.41
Nakama Sana3,69318.32
Election District 1 Florencio Singkoro Harper 2,94083.93Re-elected
Juan Martin56316.07
Election District 2 Victor Gouland 3,26292.17Re-elected
Tainiro Killion2777.83
Election District 3 Perpetua S. Konman 3,57252.13Re-elected
Myron Hashiguchi3,28047.87
Election District 4 Tiwiter Aritos 3,985100Re-elected unopposed
Election District 5 Robson Urak Romolow 1,15554.87Re-elected
Zander Refilong58027.55
Ruphin Micky37017.58
Kosrae At-Large Aren Palik 1,83664.08Re-elected
Yoslyn Sigrah 1,02935.92
Election District Paliknoa Welly 2,514100Re-elected unopposed
Pohnpei At-Large Peter M. Christian 4,46735.33Re-elected
William Kostka3,90630.89
Welson Panuel2,22517.60
David Panuelo 2,04516.17
Election District 1 Merlynn Abello-Alfonso 2,12855.85Elected
Ferny Perman 1,68244.15Unseated
Election District 2Quincy Lawrence3,05759.70Elected
Dion Neth 2,06440.30Unseated
Election District 3 Esmond Moses 2,15958.51Re-elected
Erick Paul1,53141.49
Yap At-Large Joseph Urusemal 2,11092.63Re-elected
Fidelik Thiyer-Fanoway1687.37
Election District Isaac Figir 2,283100Re-elected unopposed
Source: CFSM

Presidential election

On 11 May, the Congress elected Wesley Simina as the new President. Aren Palik was re-elected to the position of the Vice President. Additionally, Esmond Moses was elected Speaker of the Congress. [4]

References

  1. "Official List of Candidates for the March 7th, 2023, General Election". gov.fm. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  2. Kumar, Sanjeshni (16 January 2023). "FSM President hints March election will be his last, to pave the way for new leaders". pina.com.fj. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  3. Kumar, Sanjeshni (7 March 2023). "Pacific Islands Forum to observe Federated States of Micronesia General Election | PINA" . Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  4. "Wesley Simina becomes new president of Micronesia". RNZ . 11 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.