Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, has obtained parliamentary approval to postpone elections until 2024 at the earliest, which the opposition interprets as a desire to undermine democracy.
the controversial project amendment to the Constitution was approved by two-thirds of parliamentarians, thus authorizing Manasseh Sogavare to remain at the head of the government for at least seven more months.
The poll was due to be held in May 2023, but Mr Sogavare said his government is unable to secure a national poll and host the Pacific Games, a sports competition, in the same year .
” Tyranny of numbers »
His postponement proposal was seen as a setback for democracy in a nation that has recently grown closer to China’s authoritarian government.
On Thursday, during the debate in Parliament on this bill, the leader of the opposition Matthew Wale accused the government of Mr. Sogavare of transforming its “ democratic majority into a tyranny of numbers that holds the parliamentary process hostage. »
Mr. Wale called this text “ subterfuge » on the part of Mr. Sogavare to stay in power “ at the expense of voters. »
“The people of the Solomon Islands must remember – and will remember – that sad day when the government misused, for no good reason, Parliament in favor of a coup by the Prime Minister”
A large police force was deployed in the streets of the capital Honiara before the vote in Parliament, for fear of a recurrence of the violent riots last year.
In a statement, the Solomon Islands Police called for calm and increased law enforcement personnel on the streets ” in order to guarantee the maintenance of public order and to deal quickly with any public order problem. »
Manasseh Sogavare signed last April a extensive security agreement, with blurred outlines, with Beijing. Many Western countries, and especially the United States and Australia, fear that this pact will allow China to establish a military base in the country.
(with AFP)