Pro-China Sogavare out of the race as Solomon Islands votes for next leader

30/4/2024 12:07

        Manasseh Sogavare, the Solomon Islands prime minister who drew his nation close to China, sharpening the United States' focus on the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands, has bowed out of the race for leader after an inconclusive election.
        
        Sogavare is known for his unpredictable diplomacy. He criticised neighbour Australia, snubbed a White House meeting with Pacific leaders because he said he wanted to avoid a lecture, and declared "I'm back home" while stepping off a plane in Beijing a few months later.
        
        Solomon Islands lawmakers will vote for a prime minister on Thursday, and Sogavare's party, which lost half its seats, has nominated former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele as its candidate.
        
        Opposition parties, who criticised the arrival of Chinese police in the archipelago in 2022, have formed a coalition, and will also seek to woo independents to reach the 26 seats needed to form a government.