Politics of Kiribati takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Beretitenti, President of Kiribati, is both the head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government, Beretitenti, and his cabinet, all MPs. Legislative power is exercised by the House of Assembly. The Judiciary of Kiribati is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Constitution of Kiribati, promulgated at independence on 12 July 1979, establishes the Republic of Kiribati as a sovereign democratic republic and guarantees the fundamental rights of its citizens and residents.
Anote Tong is an I-Kiribati politician for the Pillars of Truth party and environmental activist with half Chinese heritage, who served as President of Kiribati, from 2003 to 2016. He won the election in July 2003 with a slim plurality of votes cast (47.4%) against his older brother, Harry Tong (43.5%) and the private lawyer Banuera Berina (9.1%). The elections were contested by the opposition, due to allegations of electoral fraud but the High Court of Tarawa had confirmed that there was no fraud. He was re-elected on 17 October 2007 for a second term (64%). In 2012, Tong was reelected for a third term, although with a significantly smaller percentage than in the previous two elections.
Pillars of Truth was a political party in Kiribati, until 2020 when it merged with the Kiribati First Party to create the Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party.
Apisai Ielemia was a Tuvaluan politician. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2006 to 2010, and was returned as a member of parliament in the 2010 Tuvaluan general election. He was re-elected to parliament in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election. On 5 October 2016 Chief Justice Sweeney of the High Court of Tuvalu declared that Ielemia’s parliamentary seat was vacant as he was not qualified to be a member of parliament, as the consequence of the short time the opposition MP served time in jail following his conviction on 6 May 2016 in the Magistrate’s Court of charges of abuse of office during the final year of his term as Prime Minister. The abuse of office charges related to payments deposited into a National Bank of Tuvalu personal account. The 5 October 2016 decision of the Chief Justice was controversial as it appeared to contradict the June 2016 decision of Justice Norman Franzi of the High Court of Tuvalu that had quashed Ielemia’s conviction and acquitted him of the abuse of office charges. The appeal to the High Court held that the conviction was "manifestly unsafe," with the court quashing the 12-month jail term.
Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 17 October 2007, following the 2007 parliamentary election. President Anote Tong, who was re-elected to parliament in the first round of the parliamentary election, sought another term as president. At the first parliamentary session, four candidates were chosen to appear on the ballot: Anote Tong, Patrick Tatireta, Timon Aneri, and Nabuti Mwemwenikarawa. Opposition nominees Harry Tong and Tetaua Taitai were excluded from the ballot, upon which the opposition called for a boycott of the election.
Michael Allan Woodhouse is a National member of the New Zealand Parliament.
The Cabinet of Kiribati is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Kiribati.
Parliamentary elections were held in Kiribati on October 21 and 28, 2011. In the first round, exactly half of the 44 members of parliament were elected, with the remainder chosen in the proceeding run-off elections. 30 candidates were reelected, and four government ministers lost their seats. One seat had to go to a third round of elections due to two candidates tying in the second round. In the third round, Jacob Teem defended his seat against Rutio Bangao with just 27 votes difference. The parliament in Kiribati is known as Maneaba ni Maungatabu. The next parliamentary election was not scheduled until 2015.
Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 13 January 2012, following two-round parliamentary elections held in October 2011. Incumbent President Anote Tong sought re-election to a third four-year term, ending months of speculation about his decision.
Ian Robert Flockhart McKelvie is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the National Party.
Tetaua Taitai was an I-Kiribati physician, politician and businessman. He was originally from the atoll of Tabiteuea North, but resided in the neighboring Tabiteuea South in the southern part of Kiribati. Taitai was the brother-in-law of former Kiribati President Teburoro Tito.
Matthew Maurice Doocey is a New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand Parliament at the 2014 general election as a representative of the New Zealand National Party. He was re-elected in 2017 with a majority increase of over 10,000 which was a significant increase from a majority of 2,500 in 2014. It was reported that this was the largest personal vote increase in the country.
Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas is a Vanuatuan politician, former accountant, and political advisor. He was the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, having been elected on 11 February 2016 following the 2016 general election, and dismissed on 20 April 2020 following the 2020 general election. He is the leader of the Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC), which is part of the Unity for Change bloc. Salwai is a Francophone from Pentecost Island.
The United Coalition Party, also known as the Improving I-Kiribati Welfare Party, was a political party in Kiribati.
Taneti Maamau is an I-Kiribati politician who has served as the 5th President of Kiribati since 11 March 2016.
The 52nd New Zealand Parliament was a session of legislature in New Zealand, which opened on 7 November 2017 following the 2017 general election and dissolved on 6 September 2020. The New Zealand Parliament comprises the Sovereign and the House of Representatives, which consists of 120 members.
Tessie Eria Lambourne is an I-Kiribati civil servant, diplomat and politician. She has been a member of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu (Parliament) since April 2020. She was formerly Kiribati's Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan) from June 2018 to September 2019 and Secretary to the Cabinet, the highest position in Kiribati's civil service, from August 2016 until June 2018.
David Collins is an I-Kiribati politician and was the MP of Maiana. He has also represented Kiribati in basketball and football, playing for the latter as a midfielder at the 2003 South Pacific Games.
The 53rd New Zealand Parliament is the current session of Parliament in New Zealand. It opened on 25 November 2020 following the 17 October 2020 general election, and will expire on or before 20 November 2023 to trigger the next election. It consists of 120 members of Parliament (MPs) with five parties represented: the Labour and Green parties, in government, and the National, Māori and ACT parties, in opposition. The Sixth Labour Government has a majority in this Parliament, with Jacinda Ardern as prime minister.
Taberannang “Peter” Timeon is an I-Kiribati politician, member of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu (parliament) for Tabiteuea North. Until 2013, he was member of the Cabinet of Kiribati. In mid-October 2013, he has resigned from Anote Tong’s government as Minister for Communications, Transport and Tourism, having been accused of receiving an excessive allowance payment. He is re-elected during the 2020 Kiribati parliamentary election. He was candidate for the Beretitenti during the February 2003 Kiribati presidential election.
