Election results
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 24,138 | 10.24 (#2) | 4 / 50 | New | Opposition |
| 2014 | Did not contest | 0 / 50 |  4 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2019 | Did not contest | 0 / 50 |  0 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2024 | 83,279 | 24.07 (#1) | 15 / 50 |  15 | Government |
Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Jeremiah Manele |
| Founder | Manasseh Sogavare |
| Founded | 16 January 2010 |
| National Parliament | 15 / 50 |
| Website | |
| ourpartysolomon.com | |
The Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (or OUR Party [1] ) is a political party in the Solomon Islands. It is headed by Jeremiah Manele and has competed in the 2010 and 2024 elections.
The party was established on 17 December 2012 (and officially launched a month later [2] ) by the leader of the Opposition (and former Prime Minister) Manasseh Sogavare, and eight opposition MPs. [3]
The party stated its intention to "invest $780 million over a period of four years in the rural economy from our own sources to improve the participation of our people in economic development". Provincial governments would be required to take an active part in rural development. [4] It has also promised to consider whether it may be possible to restore customary ownership of land alienated for public purposes during the colonial era, notably in Honiara. In this respect, the party said it would be guided by the customary land ownership policy implemented in Vanuatu. [5] [6]
During the party's official launch mid-February, in Gizo, Sogavare added that, despite "millions of dollars worth of logs" exported from Western Province, landowners had received little in the way of revenue or improved government services. [7] He later promised to address citizens' concerns about "the spill-over effects of the Bougainville crisis" on the maritime border with Papua New Guinea, and emphasised, that national unity was "one of the core pillars" of OUR Party. [8]
Later, in the context of the campaign for the 2010 general election, Sogavare stated:
OUR Party is founded on Christian principles. OUR Party is committed to restore the ownership of this country to the people of Solomon Islands, both indigenous and naturalised. We are also committed to the course of national unity. We believe that we can only progress in developing our country if we are united and see each other as brothers and sisters. We are also committed to encouraging responsible leadership at all levels, including personal leadership. We are also committed to empowering our people through a development strategy that is people-centred, rural-focussed and growth-oriented. [9]
Speaking in the party's name, he has also criticised the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, describing it as costly, excessively academic and guided by "foreign concepts", as opposed to more effective indigenous means of resolving conflicts and their aftermath. [8] Party secretary general Patterson Oti stated in May 2010 that the party would decentralise development programmes, to empower the provinces. [10] In June, Sogavare "pledged to commit 6.2 million US$ to help relocate victims of climate change" if the party won the election. [11]
Shortly after the 2019 general election, Sogavare relaunched the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, Sogavare himself contest as an independent candidate, which after the 2019 elections decides to join the DCGA coalition. However, OUR Party was never registered to contest the 2019 elections. [12]
In the lead up to the 2024 general election, OUR Party launched its manifesto on 8 February 2024. [13] Prime Minister Sogavare announced the OUR Party's five most prioritised policies going into the election. The first was preserving social cohesion and the national unity to prevent ethnic tensions from rising, as in 2000. Enhancing the nation's legal and governing systems to guarantee public safety was another key priority, as was socio-economic growth; the party pledged to utilise the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program and China's Belt and Road Initiative. The OUR Party's fourth priority was national defence, security and trade; the party sought to preserve relations with Australia and other traditional allies while expanding ties with China as part of a "look north" policy. The fifth key priority was development and land and resources empowerment. [14] During a campaign rally in the Malaitan provincial capital of Auki, Sogavare delivered a speech where he praised the Chinese political system and declared his government's decision to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China to have "put Solomon Islands on the map". Sogavare also claimed that democracy leads to moral decline and same-sex marriage. [15] After declining to contest the election for prime minister for an additional term, Sogavare announced that he would stand down as the OUR Party leader. He was succeeded by Jeremiah Manele. [16]
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 24,138 | 10.24 (#2) | 4 / 50 | New | Opposition |
| 2014 | Did not contest | 0 / 50 | 4 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2019 | Did not contest | 0 / 50 | 0 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2024 | 83,279 | 24.07 (#1) | 15 / 50 | 15 | Government |
Politics of Solomon Islands takes place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic, constitutional monarchy. Solomon Islands is an independent Commonwealth realm, where executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and a multi-party parliament.
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare is a Solomon Islander politician serving as Minister of Finance since 2024. He served as the prime minister of Solomon Islands for a total of nine years from 2000–2001, 2006–2007, 2014–2017, and 2019–2024. Sogavare has served in the National Parliament representing East Choiseul since 1997.
The Solomon Islands Social Credit Party ("Socreds") was a political party in the Solomon Islands that espoused social credit theories of monetary reform. It opposed foreign interference in the economy of the country.
John Patteson Oti, sometimes called Patterson Oti, is a Solomon Islands politician and diplomat. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration from May 2006 to 22 December 2007. He is the secretary general of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, which was launched in early 2010. Since March 2012, he has been his country's High Commissioner to Fiji.
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Jeremiah Manele is a Solomon Island politician serving as Prime Minister following the 2024 Solomon Islands general election. He is the first prime minister of the country to come from Isabel Province.
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Clay Forau Soalaoi, more commonly referred to as Clay Forau, is a Solomon Islands politician.
Stanley Festus Sofu is a Solomon Islands politician.
General elections were held in the Solomon Islands on 4 August 2010. The election date was announced in May 2010 by Prime Minister Derek Sikua. Although the announcement was deemed to be premature, as only the Governor General has the authority to announce the election date upon the advice of the Electoral Commission, the election date remained the same.
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Peter Shannel Agovaka is a Solomon Islands politician.
In the Solomon Islands, the Leader of the Official Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the National Parliament that is not in government. The title of "Leader of the Opposition" is common to the Commonwealth realms and several other Commonwealth countries, though in Solomon Islands it is specifically defined by the Constitution. The Leader of the Opposition appoints and leads a Shadow Cabinet. The current Leader of the Opposition, since December 2014, is Jeremiah Manele.
Dickson Mua Panakitasi, primarily known as Dickson Mua, is a Solomon Islands politician.
General elections were held in Solomon Islands on 3 April 2019 to determine the composition of the 11th Parliament. The election was the first to occur since the conclusion of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in 2017. Parliament passed amendments to the electoral act in 2018 that included the introduction of pre-polling, a significant increase in campaign budgets for candidates and stricter penalties for individuals committing electoral offences such as vote-buying. Ten of the thirteen parties that contested the election won seats, and the Solomon Islands Democratic Party and the Kadere Party were the parties that secured the highest amount, winning eight each. However, as in previous elections, independent candidates won the largest share of seats, securing 21.
Solomon Islands no longer has official diplomatic ties with Taiwan (ROC) due to the One-China policy since 2020.
General elections were held in Solomon Islands on 17 April 2024 to determine the composition of the 12th Parliament. Initially planned for 2023, parliament voted in 2022 to delay the elections. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare claimed the country could not afford to have an election in the same year the Solomon Islands were hosting the Pacific Games. The opposition condemned the delay and accused Sogavare of a power grab.
