New era of politicians in Solomon Islands want stability

RNZ News

08-05-2025

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele
Photo:
Facebook / Peter Kenilorea
A political scientist believes a changing of the guard in Solomon Islands politics might lead to greater stability for the country's government.
The comments come after Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele
survived the second challenge to his leadership
in four months.
Central Honiara MP Gordon Darcy Lilo
submitted a motion of no confidence
in Manele last week.
The vote on the motion was scheduled to be part of parliament's order of business on Tuesday, but it was withdrawn from proceedings at the last minute.
Lilo appeared not to have enough support for a successful challenge, with Manele managing to rally enough MPs to hold his government coalition together.
Lilo, a former prime minister, also mounted a challenge against Manele's leadership in December last year.
Like Tuesday's events, Lilo was
forced to withdraw the challenge
on that occasion due to a lack of support.
University of Hawai'i associate professor Tarcisius Kabutaulaka said while leadership challenges ware common in Solomon Islands politics, a new generation of political leaders could be heralding in an era of greater stability.
"I think what we are seeing is that there is a new generation of Solomon Islands politicians who are emerging, and perhaps over time, are going to marginalise the older politicians like Manasseh Sogavare, Gordon Darcy Lilo and Matthew Wale."
The newer generation of politicians includes Paul Bosawai Popora, Derick Manuari and John Tuhaika Jnr, Kabutaulaka said.
Tarcisius Kabutaulaka
Photo:
University of Hawai'i
He believed this group of politicians did not want to engage in the kind of "personality" politics associated with frequent and ongoing leadership challenges.
Kabutaulaka said a big part of that is a gradual shift away from figures like Lilo and Sogavare, who have often been at the centre of challenges and political schisms.
"A lot of what we saw last week is about personalities, particular individuals with very assertive and sometimes aggressive personalities in parliament, [and] we are beginning to see people move away from them," she said.
"I don't think they will change, but I think people around them will begin to realise that politics and things cannot be done only in those…very aggressive ways."
The Solomon Islands has a long history of major unrest during periods of political instability.
The most recent period was in 2021, after protests against then-Prime Minister Sogavare led to three days of rioting and looting in Honiara.