Solomon Islands MPs pick new Prime Minister

Solomon Islands MPs picked a new Prime Minister on Thursday after the national election finished in political deadlock. 

Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele defeated opposition leader Matthew Wale after the result of a secret ballot of 50 MPs, local media reports.

Manele, who succeeded former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare as leader of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, gained 31 votes ahead of Wale’s 18.

The vote by MPs was held after the April 17 election failed to deliver any political party a majority. 

Manele and the government he selects will be watched closely by Australia, the United States and China over its stance on regional security concerns.

Sogavare signed a controversial security agreement with China and switched diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan to Beijing during his term in office.

In the election lead-up, Manele signalled he would maintain close relations with Beijing.

Earlier this week, Sogavare announced he was quitting as his party’s leader after the results of last week’s poll and anointed Manele as his successor.

Australia has traditionally seen itself as the Solomon Islands’ “security partner of choice”, deploying police and occasionally troops at times to help restore order after unrest.

But under Sogavare’s government, China took a greater role in the small Pacific island nation’s affairs, which included sending a Chinese security police team to train the local force.

The security deal between Honiara and Beijing in particular raised alarm bells about on the archipelago, just 1700 kilometres from parts of the Queensland coast.

It resulted in the Australian government scrambling to renew its engagement with the Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations as China exerted its influence in the region.