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A by-election was held in the Nui constituency in Tuvalu on 10 September 2013. [1] It was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, MP Taom Tanukale, the Minister for Health, in the government of Willy Telavi. [2]
The Nui by-election was held on 10 September 2013. Leneuoti Maatusi was declared the winner, polling 297 of the 778 registered voters. Matusi has been a civil servant and served as the Secretary of the Nui Falekaupule. He beat Palemene Anelu, a recent graduate of the University of the South Pacific, who received 206 votes and Taom Tanukale, who received 160 votes. [1] Nui is a two-seat constituency, and in the 2010 general election it had returned Isaia Italeli and Taom Tanukale with 24.6% and 23% of the vote respectively, ahead of three other candidates. [3]
The second member of parliament from Nui is Pelenike Isaia, who was elected following the death of her husband Isaia Italeli, in the 2011 Nui by-election. [4]
Although there are no political parties in Tuvalu, Members of Parliament align themselves with the government or with the Opposition. A constitutional crisis developed in 2013 when Willy Telavi, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, refused to recall Parliament following the 2013 Nukufetau by-election. Tuvalu's opposition then requested the Governor-General Iakoba Italeli to intervene against the Prime Minister's decision not to recall Parliament. [5] On 3 July 2013 the Governor-General exercised his reserve powers in ordering Parliament to convene. [6] When the Parliament met on 30 July, the Speaker ( Kamuta Latasi) refused to allow a debate on a no-confidence motion in the government of Willy Telavi. Taom Tanukale, the Health Minister then resigned from Parliament (and thus also from the government). [2] This resignation appeared to be political manoeuvre as Willy Telavi responded by insisting that Parliament should be suspended until a by-election was held and declined to call the by-election. In Tuvalu a by-election can only be called when requested by the Prime Minister. [7]
The Governor-General Iakoba Italeli then proceeded to exercise his reserve powers to order Mr Telavi's removal and the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as interim prime minister. [8] The Parliament subsequently confirmed the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as prime minister. [9] The government of Enele Sopoaga had a majority of two going into the by-election. [10] Leneuoti Maatusi, elected in the by-election, committed to support Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. [11]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Leneuoti Maatusi | 297 | 44.79% | ||
Independent | Palemene Anelu | 206 | 31.07% | ||
Independent | Taom Tanukale | 160 | 24.13% | ||
Majority | 91 | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | n/a |
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A by-election was held in the Nui constituency in Tuvalu on 10 September 2013. [1] It was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, MP Taom Tanukale, the Minister for Health, in the government of Willy Telavi. [2]
The Nui by-election was held on 10 September 2013. Leneuoti Maatusi was declared the winner, polling 297 of the 778 registered voters. Matusi has been a civil servant and served as the Secretary of the Nui Falekaupule. He beat Palemene Anelu, a recent graduate of the University of the South Pacific, who received 206 votes and Taom Tanukale, who received 160 votes. [1] Nui is a two-seat constituency, and in the 2010 general election it had returned Isaia Italeli and Taom Tanukale with 24.6% and 23% of the vote respectively, ahead of three other candidates. [3]
The second member of parliament from Nui is Pelenike Isaia, who was elected following the death of her husband Isaia Italeli, in the 2011 Nui by-election. [4]
Although there are no political parties in Tuvalu, Members of Parliament align themselves with the government or with the Opposition. A constitutional crisis developed in 2013 when Willy Telavi, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, refused to recall Parliament following the 2013 Nukufetau by-election. Tuvalu's opposition then requested the Governor-General Iakoba Italeli to intervene against the Prime Minister's decision not to recall Parliament. [5] On 3 July 2013 the Governor-General exercised his reserve powers in ordering Parliament to convene. [6] When the Parliament met on 30 July, the Speaker ( Kamuta Latasi) refused to allow a debate on a no-confidence motion in the government of Willy Telavi. Taom Tanukale, the Health Minister then resigned from Parliament (and thus also from the government). [2] This resignation appeared to be political manoeuvre as Willy Telavi responded by insisting that Parliament should be suspended until a by-election was held and declined to call the by-election. In Tuvalu a by-election can only be called when requested by the Prime Minister. [7]
The Governor-General Iakoba Italeli then proceeded to exercise his reserve powers to order Mr Telavi's removal and the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as interim prime minister. [8] The Parliament subsequently confirmed the appointment of Enele Sopoaga as prime minister. [9] The government of Enele Sopoaga had a majority of two going into the by-election. [10] Leneuoti Maatusi, elected in the by-election, committed to support Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. [11]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Leneuoti Maatusi | 297 | 44.79% | ||
Independent | Palemene Anelu | 206 | 31.07% | ||
Independent | Taom Tanukale | 160 | 24.13% | ||
Majority | 91 | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | n/a |