Published 17 hours ago • loading... • Updated 8 hours ago
Former China hawk Matthew Wale elected Solomon Islands' leader
Wale won 26 votes to 22 in a secret ballot, as lawmakers turned from Jeremiah Manele after a no-confidence ouster.
On Friday, the Solomon Islands parliament elected opposition leader Matthew Wale as prime minister, defeating Peter Shanel Agovaka 26-22 in a secret ballot of 49 lawmakers.
Lawmakers ousted former prime minister Jeremiah Manele last week in a no-confidence vote, ending his term halfway through the four-year cycle after a dozen ministers resigned in March.
Wale, a vocal critic of the 2022 security pact with China, is expected to adopt a "more moderate" approach, balancing ties between Beijing and Australia while prioritizing national interests.
Speaking outside parliament, Wale declared "change is coming" and warned that necessary reforms might be painful, noting the government assumes office during difficult geopolitical times.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Wale on his appointment, pledging to continue "strengthening our economic, development and security partnership" in the strategically positioned 700,000-person nation.