1998 Tuvaluan general election
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All 12 seats in the Parliament of Tuvalu
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Bikenibeu Paeniu

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Bikenibeu Paeniu

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General elections were held in Tuvalu on 26 March 1998.[1]

There are no formal parties in Tuvalu. The political system is based on personal alliances and loyalties derived from clan and family connections.[2] The Parliament of Tuvalu is rare among national legislatures in that it is non-partisan in nature. It does tend to have both a distinct government and a distinct opposition.[2]

All candidates for the 12 seats ran as independents, with seven of the incumbents retaining their seats. Following the election, Bikenibeu Paeniu was re-elected Prime Minister.[3]

Background

On 18 December 1997 the parliament was dissolved and the general election was held on 26 March 1998. During the election campaign, candidates from the incumbent government and the opposition traded allegations of sexual and financial misconduct.

Results

Seven incumbent members were re-elected, including Bikenibeu Paeniu, Otinielu Tausi, Ionatana Ionatana, Tomasi Puapua and Alesana Seluka, and opposition MPs Koloa Talake and Faimalaga Luka.[4] Two members of previous parliaments were elected, including Kokea Malua of Nanumea,[4] while three members were new to parliament; Lagitupu Tuilimu of Nanumea, Teleke Peleti Lauti of Funafuti and Samuelu Teo of Niutao.[4] Former Prime Minister Kamuta Latasi, who represented Funafuti, lost his seat.[4]

Constituency Members Notes
Funafuti Ionatana Ionatana Died on 8 December 2000
Teleke Peleti Lauti
Nanumaga Otinielu Tausi
Nanumea Kokea Malua
Lagitupu Tuilimu
Niutao Samuelu Teo
Tomu Sione
Nui Alesana Seluka
Nukufetau Faimalaga Luka
Nukulaelae Bikenibeu Paeniu
Vaitupu Koloa Talake
Tomasi Puapua

Aftermath

Paeniu was re-elected Prime Minister on 8 April, defeating Koloa Talake by a vote of 10–2.[3][5] He subsequently announced the formation of a cabinet consisting of Ionatana Ionatana as Minister for Health, Women and Community Affairs and Minister for Education and Culture, Alesana Kleis Seluka as Minister for Tourism, Trade and Commerce and Minister Finance and Economic Planning, Otinielu Tausi as Minister of Works, Energy and Communications and Kokea Malua as Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment, Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development and Deputy Prime Minister.[5] Tomu Sione was appointed as Speaker.

Paeniu later resigned following a motion of no confidence on 27 April 1999. Ionatana was subsequently elected Prime Minister on 27 April.[6] He died on 8 December 2000.[7] Lagitupu Tuilimu was acting prime minister from 8 December 2000 to 24 February 2001,[8] with Faimalaga Luka becoming Prime Minister on 23 February 2001.[6] Luka's government lasted until December the same year, when he lost office as the consequence of another motion of no confidence.[6] On 13 December the former Minister of Finance Koloa Talake was appointed Prime Minister.[6][9]

References

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p829 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  2. ^ a b Hassall, Graham (2006). "The Tuvalu General Election 2006". Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1998. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d "Tuvalu Elects 12 Members of Parliament". Pacific Islands Report. 27 March 1998. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Paeniu Re-Elected Tuvalu Prime Minister". Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i at Manoa /PACNEWS/tuvaluislands.com. 8 April 1998. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press.
  7. ^ Field, Michael (9 December 2000). "Tuvalu's Prime Minister Ionatana Dies After Giving Speech". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  8. ^ Clements, Quiton (December 2000). "Tuvalu Legislative Needs Assessment". UNDP. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ^ Page, Kogan (2004). Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04. Kogan Page Publishers. p. 261.
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