![]() ![]() Many see the security pact as being aimed at Malaita, Solomon Islands’ most populous province, which has maintained ties to Taiwan. As soon as the pact was signed, some Solomon Islanders worried that Sogavare would use the agreement to stay in power and crack down on his political opponents. The move to delay the election comes amid growing alarm in recent months about the erosion of democracy in Solomon Islands, including the secretive and unprecedented security pact that Sogavare signed with China in April, which allows Solomon Islands to invite Chinese security forces into the country to quell local unrest. Sogavare claimed last month that the election delay would be a “ one-off,” but Wale and others have expressed concern that amending the constitution would set a precedent for Sogavare to do so again in the future. Its passage would raise the question of whether Sogavare could postpone the election a second time. Between calls for his resignation and a no-confidence vote last year - as well as extensive criticism of his increasingly close relationship with China and his recent moves to restrict the media - Sogavare knows he is unpopular and is worried he will lose the election.īut he still has parliamentary backing, and when parliament votes on the bill on September 8, it is likely to receive the two-thirds support required to pass, according to opposition leader Matthew Wale. But this is an excuse - Sogavare is afraid of losing power. Sogavare claims that it’s necessary to delay the election until after the Pacific Games, which Solomon Islands will host in November 2023. But on September 8, members of parliament are set to vote on a new bill, introduced by Sogavare in August, to amend the constitution and postpone the election to 2024 - a move that has been criticized by the opposition party as a power grab by an increasingly authoritarian prime minister. The Solomon Islands parliament is due to be dissolved in May of next year, which would require that the election occur within four months. (Commonwealth Secretariat/Flickr) Sogavare Is Tightening Control A woman votes in the 2019 Solomon Islands parliamentary elections. Postponing the election may also set a dangerous precedent for the future, allowing Sogavare to further solidify his power. Some Solomon Islanders fear that Sogavare may use Chinese security forces to crack down on protesters, which would fuel further instability. Delaying the vote is broadly unpopular and could spark protests. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is attempting to delay the 2023 elections - which would normally take place between May and August - to 2024, causing concerns among civil society and regional partners regarding the country’s growing autocracy and ties to China. ![]()
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