Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has been removed from office after losing a parliamentary vote of no confidence, bringing an end to months of escalating political instability.
The motion passed on Thursday by 26 votes to 22, forcing the suspension of parliamentary sessions to allow the Governor-General to begin procedures for selecting a new prime minister.
The vote marks a major political turning point for Manele’s “Government of National Unity and Transformation,” which has been under strain since March following mass cabinet resignations and the withdrawal of two coalition partners.
Ahead of the vote, Manele sharply criticized the country’s judiciary, accusing it of setting a “dangerous precedent” after ruling that Parliament must be convened to debate the no-confidence motion.
Last week, the Court of Appeal ordered Manele, who had delayed facing the motion for seven weeks, to formally reconvene Parliament by May 7, paving the way for the decisive vote.
The leadership crisis underscores ongoing political volatility in the Pacific nation, which has faced repeated government breakdowns and shifting coalition alliances in recent years.
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