Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 8 June 2013.Nauru calls emergency for early elections Adelaid Now, 27 May 2013 After Parliament was dissolved on 1 March,Nauru awaits election date with parliament set to be dissolved PINA, 1 March 2013 the elections were set for 6 April. However, a Supreme Court ruling annulled the dissolution and cancelled the elections. Parliament was dissolved again on 23 May, approximately one month before the normal end of its mandate, and elections were set for 22 June 2013,Nauru calls June 22 election 9 News, 23 May 2013 however President Sprent Dabwido declared a state of emergency and brought the election forward to 8 June. Parliament first sat on June 11 and Fisheries Minister Baron Waqa, the leader of the government forces, was elected president.
Background In February 2013 a constitutional crisis developed after two cabinet members resigned and a third was sacked by President Sprent Dabwido, leaving just two members in the cabinet, whilst the 18-member Parliament split into three factions.Nauru MP Alleges Government Has Lost Mandate Pacific Islands Report, 20 February 2013 On 1 March Parliamentary Speaker Ludwig Scotty dissolved Parliament due to unruly behaviour by MPs, Politics Abroad, 1 March 2013 and elections were set for 6 April.
Former President Marcus Stephen, who was one of the cabinet members to leave in February threatened to bring a legal challenge against the dissolution, claiming it had been carried out in an unconstitutional manner as MPs had not been given the chance to challenge the dissolution. When Stephens and seven other MPs did take the matter to the Supreme Court, it ruled that the adjournment had been carried out unconstitutionally. However, a government spokesman claimed that the Court had no power to force Scotty to reconvene Parliament.
In mid-March the Supreme Court ruled that as the dissolution was null and void, the writ issued for elections in April was also null and void.
Speaker Scotty resigned on 18 April and was replaced by Godfrey Thoma on 25 April. Thoma announced on 16 May that Parliament would be dissolved a week from that date. Speaker Thoma dissolved Parliament on 23 May and set elections for 22 June. On 27 May 2013 President Dabwido declared a state of emergency and re-set the election for 8 June 2013.
Electoral system MPs are elected in eight multi-members constituencies using the Dowdall system, a modified version of the Borda count. Voters rank candidates by preference, with the first preference given a score of 1, the second preference a score of , the third preference a score of and so on. Voters must rank all candidates on the ballot for it to be valid. The candidates with the highest scores win the seats in a constituency.Election Profile IFES
Until this election there had been 18 seats in Parliament with seven two-seat constituencies and one four-seat constituency, but following the June 2010 elections Parliament passed a bill to increase the number of seats to 19 to avoid 9–9 ties in the legislature.Nauru country brief Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade The extra member will be elected in the Meneng Constituency, which previously had two seats.President Dabwido gives it another go Island Business, 6 June 2013
A record total of 68 candidates registered for the elections.Nauru prepares for 'critical' elections this weekend RZNI, 7 June 2013
Results
By constituency ConstituencyCandidateVotesNotesAiwoMilton Dube310.450ElectedAaron Cook251.017ElectedDantes Tsitsi228.433Godfrey Thoma205.800Pamela Eibutsina Scriven170.950Lance Agir136.567Preston Thoma134.633Tazio Gideon119.383Invalid/blank votes17Total699AnabarLudwig Scotty255.300ElectedRiddell Akua242.500ElectedTyrone Deiye208.700Jaden Adun204.367Melissa Ika165.117Paul Nubwit Doguape136.717Invalid/blank votes15Total510AnetanCyril Buraman321.819ElectedMarcus Stephen299.493ElectedLandon Deireragea264.029Aloysius Gonzaga Namaduk185.562Begg Adire177.245Haseldon Buraman168.400Paul Ika164.095Invalid/blank votes20Total630BoeMathew Batsiua279.619ElectedBaron Waqa224.467ElectedAbraham Aremwa194.350Bryan Star172.100Lidira Ephraim152.167Kinza Clodumar138.600Invalid/blank votes10Total484BuadaRoland Kun235.308ElectedShadlog Bernicke233.032ElectedBingham Agir203.975Sean Halstead154.451Vinson Detenamo153.155Arrow Depaune140.592Ace Capelle139.042Ishmael Fritz131.988Invalid/blank votes13Total525MenengSprent Dabwido374.758ElectedLyn-Wannan Kam356.112ElectedSquire Jeremiah303.370ElectedLionel Aingimea272.512Rykers Solomon253.298Elvin Brechtefeld237.266Doneke Jim Kepae228.710Clint Deidenang191.806Sambruce Akibwib188.619Jerielyn Teleni186.341Nemo Levi Agadio185.627John Taumea Agadio172.250Nickos Simon166.315Invalid/blank votes37Total941UbenideDavid Adeang427.680ElectedValdon Dowiyogo388.999ElectedRuss J. Kun373.357ElectedRanin Akua357.949ElectedAloysius Amwano309.684Julian Itsimaera309.271Freddie Pitcher282.819Samuel Hansome Adumur267.771George Giovanni Gioura252.633Vyko Adeang207.965Renos Agege194.381Arde Ricky Bam189.442David Corey Dowiyogo180.847Darned Dongobir172.084Invalid/blank votes61Total1,265YarenCharmaine Scotty303.067ElectedKieren Keke211.167ElectedDominic Tabuna187.467John Daigon Panen Julius170.333Omeri Agigo142.667Brian Amwano131.900Invalid/blank votes6Total474Total5,528Source: Republic of Nauru Government Gazette, 9 June 2013
Presidential election On 11 June the newly elected MPs elected the president, who was required by the constitution be a member of parliament. Baron Waqa defeated Roland Kun by 13 votes to five.
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