The politics of the Cook Islands, an associated state, takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Queen of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the Queen's Representative, is the Head of State; the prime minister is the head of government and of a multi-party system. The Islands are self-governing in free association with New Zealand and are fully responsible for internal affairs. New Zealand retains some responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands. In recent years, the Cook Islands have taken on more of its own external affairs; as of 2005, it has diplomatic relations in its own name with eighteen other countries. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the islands' parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislatures.
The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Aksel V. Johannesen.
The Faroese People's Party – Radical Self-Government is a pro-Faroese independence conservative and conservative-liberal political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jørgen Niclasen. One of the four major parties, it has had eight seats in the Løgting since the 2011 election, making it the joint-largest party, but it has neither of the Faroes' seats in the Folketing.
Albert Royle Henry was the first Premier of the Cook Islands. He was forced to resign from that post in a 1978 voting scandal for which he was later convicted of fraud. Henry was the founder and first leader of the Cook Islands Party (CIP).
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on September 27, 2006 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The Democratic Party remained in power, winning 15 of 24 seats. A total of 8,497 voters turned out to vote.
The 2008 congressional elections in New York were held on November 4, 2008 to determine representation in the state of New York in the United States House of Representatives. New York has 29 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election in which Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain by a wide margin.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party and saw Albert Henry become the Cook Islands' first Prime Minister.
The 2010 congressional elections in Rhode Island were held on November 2, 2010, and determined who would represent Rhode Island in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; the elected served in the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013.
Sir Tom John Marsters, is the 7th Queen's Representative to the Cook Islands. He is a former Deputy Leader of the Cook Islands Party and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.
Henry Tuakeu Puna is the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He is leader of the Cook Islands Party and has been Prime Minister since November 2010.
The United Cook Islanders was a political party in the Cook Islands. It was established on 16 February 1968 in order to challenge the then-dominant Cook Islands Party and provide a more organised opposition. The party was organised by David Hosking and Taira Rere. Prominent members included former CIP cabinet ministers Manea Tamarua and Mana Strickland. The party did not initially have a formal leader, though Hosking served as "campaign leader"
The United Political Party was a political party in the Cook Islands. It was founded shortly before the 1965 election and was led by the then-Leader of Government Business, D. C. Brown. It ran 16 candidates, 4 of which were elected; Brown himself lost his seat. The party fell apart after the election, though some members went on to participate in the United Cook Islanders.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 11 April 1972. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party, which won 15 of the 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The newly formed Democratic Party won seven seats.
The United States Senate elections of 1906 and 1907 were elections which had the Republican Party gain three seats in the United States Senate, expanding their majority to more twice that of the opposing Democratic Party.
Sir Pupuke Robati, KBE was a Cook Island politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989.
Marguerite Nora Eikura Kitimira Story,, was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands from 1965 to 1979. She was the first woman elected to the Cook Islands Parliament and was also the first woman in the Commonwealth to become speaker of a national parliament.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 14 June 2018 to elect the 24 members of the 15th Cook Islands Parliament.
