1991 Kiribati presidential election

Election of Teatao Teannaki July 2024 July 2024 Kiribati presidential 1987 Kiribati presidential election 1987 1994 Kiribati presidential election 1994 3 July 1991 73.7% ( 4.6pp) 130x130px Teatao Teannaki 2014 (cropped).jpg 10,123 46.31% 3x4.svg 9,162 41.91% 1,581 7.23% dcdcdc dcdcdc dcdcdc President Ieremia Tabai Teatao Teannaki Teatao Teannaki Roniti Teiwaki Beniamina Tinga Home island Abaiang 3x4.svg Nikunau 1991 Kiribati presidential election margin of victory map.svg Map of margin of victory by constituency Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 3 July 1991. Vice-President Teatao Teannaki of the National Progressive Party (NPP) was elected with 46% of the vote, defeating his main opponent Roniti Teiwaki of Te Waaki ae Boou, who received 42% of the vote. Incumbent president Ieremia Tabai was term limited, making this the first presidential election in Kiribati in which he was not a candidate. The House of Assembly chose four of its members to stand for the presidency, and collaboration between Tabai's NPP and the unaffiliated Te Waaki ae Boou faction gave the two groups full control of the ballot. In addition to their respective candidates, they nominated two placeholder candidates to fill the ballot and block access to other factions: Boanareke Boanareke for the NPP and Beniamina Tinga for Te Waaki ae Boou. Taomati Iuta, Babera Kirata, Teburoro Tito, and Tewareka Tentoa, all of whom had previously run, were considered potential candidates for their respective factions but failed to make it onto the ballot. The campaign issues were primarily economic, diverging from the polarising scandals of previous presidential elections. The nation's Catholic–Protestant divide had a lessened effect, as both of the main candidates were Catholic. Teannaki, campaigning on the continuation of Tabai's policies, benefited from the NPP's institutional strength relative to the loosely organised Te Waaki Ae Boou faction. Teiwaki promised voters that he would shift away from Tabai's policy of frugality in favour of greater salaries and subsidies. Background Incumbent president Ieremia Tabai was re-elected in the 1987 presidential election. The election brought him to his term limit, making him ineligible for the 1991 election.Somoza 2001 675 Tabai's government came under scrutiny in the late 1980s as government funds went missing, which Tabai's finance minister Teatao Teannaki attributed to funds going toward unapproved development projects. An audit found that government funds had been subject to fraud and embezzlement.Van Trease 1993 71 In the years leading up to the 1991 election, the opposition attacked Tabai's government for its handling of the economy. They criticised its running the unprofitable state airline Air Tungaru, the decrease in the nation's reserve fund after Black Tuesday, the government's refusal to use the reserve fund to start additional development projects, and its acceptance of foreign aid despite a stated policy of self-sufficiency.Van Trease 1993 72 Tabai's supporters joined together as the National Progressive Party (NPP) for the 1991 parliamentary election.Somoza 2001 675 Unlike other political parties in Kiribati, the NPP was a formal organisation with its own constitution. They competed against the Social Democracy Party (SDP) and Reitan Kiribati. The SDP was created by the opposition as a successor to the Christian Democratic Party and ERIKO. Reitan Kiribati was an affiliation of independent members created to counteract partisanship.Van Trease 1992 67 The parliamentary elections were overshadowed by speculation about who would succeed Tabai.Van Trease 1993 81 While Tabai's government retained a plurality following the election, the government, the opposition, and Reitan Kiribati saw losses to unaffiliated candidates.Van Trease 1993 85, 88 Several new members of parliament formed a party, Te Waaki ae Boou, and they aligned with the NPP. In response, the SDP and Reitan Kiribati formed an alliance.Van Trease 1992 70 Candidates Early contenders Before the new parliament was elected, there were six major contenders: pro-government figures Teatao Teannaki, Taomati Iuta, and Babera Kirata, opposition leader Teburoro Tito, independent faction leader Tewareka Tentoa, and unaffiliated member of parliament Roniti Teiwaki.Van Trease 1993 81 This was the first presidential election in which Tabai was not a candidate.Van Trease 1993 77 Teannaki was the favourite to win leading up to the election, while Teiwaki and Tito were considered his greatest challengers.PIM 1991 17 Teannaki was a member of parliament for Abaiang.Van Trease 1993 88 He was Tabai's vice-president and minister of finance.Van Trease 1993 81 The two were close allies,PIM 1991 17 and Teannaki's consistent support of Tabai's policies gave him an advantage. Teannaki was Catholic, so his candidacy could reach Catholic voters that traditionally voted against Tabai's government.Van Trease 1992 70 Teannaki had been a candidate in the 1982, 1983, and 1987 elections.Somoza 2001 682 Teiwaki was a member of parliament for the Teinainano Urban Council constituency.Van Trease 1993 81 During his previous tenure in parliament, he had been the minister of education and minister of finance before leaving parliament in 1982.Van Trease 1993 81 After working as Director of Extension Services at the University of the South Pacific, where he received the highest salary in Kiribati,PIM 1991 17 Teiwaki returned to parliament in a 1990 by-election.Van Trease 1993 81 His background gave him several advantages in the election, including his education and his influential family. Though he had government experience, his absence until shortly before the election may have negatively coloured voter perception.Van Trease 1992 102 He aligned with Te Waaki ae Boou.Van Trease 1992 70 He had been a candidate in the 1978 election.Somoza 2001 682 Kirata was a member of parliament for Onotoa.Van Trease 1993 18 He served as Tabai's minister of home affairs and decentralisation.PIM 1991 17 He had been a candidate in the 1978 election.Somoza 2001 682 Tito was a member of parliament for Teinainano Urban Council.Van Trease 1993 88 He was the leader of the opposition.Van Trease 1993 81 He had been a candidate in the 1987 election.Somoza 2001 682 Iuta was a member of parliament for Beru.Van Trease 1993 88 He served as Tabai's minister of natural resource development.PIM 1991 17 He had been a candidate in the 1978 election.Somoza 2001 682 Tentoa was a member of parliament for Onotoa and a dark horse candidate.PIM 1991 17 He led the independent group Reitan Kiribati.Van Trease 1993 81 Candidate selection Parliament voted to decide which four of its members would appear on the presidential ballot.Van Trease 1993 77, 79 This was done through a Borda count in which each member of parliament ranked their top four candidates and points were allocated based on how high candidates were ranked overall.Reilly 2002 367 To maximise their chances, each of the four parliamentary factions nominated two candidates—their preferred choice and an extra.Van Trease 1992 70 The selection of a new pro-government candidate was difficult for the NPP. The strongest contender, Kirata, had died days before the parliamentary election.Van Trease 1992 69 The NPP chose Teannaki as its main candidate, Te Waaki ae Boou chose Teiwaki, the SDP chose Tito, and Reitan Kiribati chose Tentoa.Van Trease 1992 71 For their backup candidates, the NPP nominated Boanareke Boanareke, Te Waaki ae Boou nominated Beniamina Tinga, the SDP nominated Matakite Bamatang, and Reiten Kiribati nominated Tabwea Teitiniman.Reilly 2002 367–368 The NPP and Te Waaki ae Boou collectively had a majority in parliament with 28 of the 41 seats.Van Trease 1992 70 By voting together and alternating their preferences, the two factions held full control over the ballot. Teannaki received the most support to appear on the ballot with 78 points, with Teiwaki receiving 69 points. They were followed by Boanareke with 68, Tinga with 63, Tito with 53, Bamatang with 32, Teitiniman with 25, and Tentoa with 22.Reilly 2002 368 Teannaki and Teiwaki became the main candidates, with the NPP's Boanareke and Te Waaki ae Boou's Tinga filling out the remaining two spots to block access to the other factions.Van Trease 1992 70 Campaign Economic issues dominated the campaign. These included copra prices, cost of living, development projects, wages, and the availability of government services. The opposition challenged the government on its accounting discrepancies, its control over the media, and its use of the reserve fund. An issue specific to South Tarawa was the negative effect of urbanisation on the city's native population.Van Trease 1993 83 There were no polarising controversies dividing the nation in 1991. This was a contrast from the elections of the 1980s, which involved labour strikes, a controversial fishing rights agreement with the Soviet Union, and questions over Tabai's eligibility for re-election.Van Trease 1993 71, 82 Teannaki and Teiwaki campaigned in the northern and central islands while ignoring the historically pro-government southern islands.Van Trease 1992 71 Boanareke and Tinga did not campaign, as they were only running to fill the ballot. Both Teannaki and Teiwaki were Catholic, so the nation's religious divide became less important than in previous elections.Van Trease 1992 70 Teiwaki instead made appearances in the southern islands of Tamana and Arorae prior to the campaign. These visits left an impact on the Protestant voter base that was sceptical about whether Catholic candidates would serve their interests.Van Trease 1992 97 The strong institutional nature of the NPP played a large role in Teannaki's campaign. He touted the economic record of Tabai's government and campaigned on a continuation of Tabai's policies.Van Trease 1992 71 The campaign benefited immensely from the support of an organised party with seasoned politicians to guide the campaign.Van Trease 1992 72 This included the publication of pamphlets to tout the government's successes.Van Trease 1992 98 Tabai campaigned on Teannaki's behalf in South Tarawa, his popularity meaning that a significant advantage came with his endorsement.Van Trease 1993 81, 83 Teiwaki campaigned on a change from the previous government. Instead of Tabai's policies of frugality and self-sufficiency, Teiwaki advocated lowering taxes while raising salaries and subsidies to improve quality of life. He appealed specifically to northern voters, but he opted not to appeal to political parties during his campaign, believing that individual personalities were a larger factor in the politics of Kiribati. Teiwaki believed that Tabai's absence from the ballot would create opportunities for another party to take power, and he hoped that his own work with Tabai's government would win him favour.Van Trease 1992 70–71 Much of Teiwaki's campaigning took place in the central islands. He appeared in each one, excepting only Teannaki's home island of Abaiang as a gesture of respect.Van Trease 1992 97 Results The election was held on 3 July, and turnout was 73.7% of registered voters.Somoza 2001 679 The results were announced by Radio Tarawa approximately six hours after polls closed. Teannaki won with 46.3% of the vote, a lower percentage than all four of Tabai's elections. Teiwaki received 41.9%.Van Trease 1992 71 Teannaki performed well in the southern islands and Teiwaki in the northern islands, as expected, but both were by closer margins than the 1987 election.Van Trease 1992 72 The supplementary candidates, Tinga and Boanareke, received many votes from their home islands. Tinga won in his home island, suggesting that the campaign did not make a focused effort to redirect his votes to Teiwaki. Tinga effectively served as a spoiler candidate, taking enough votes from Teiwaki to prevent his victory.Van Trease 1992 101–102 Teatao Teannaki 10123 Roniti Teiwaki 9162 Beniamina Tinga 1581 Boanareke Boanareke 994 73.7 SomozaSomoza 2001 682 By constituency +Vote share by constituencyVan Trease 1993 99ConstituencyTingaBoanarekeTeiwakiTeannakiTotalAbaiang55332271,2351,550Abemama6438443414959Aranuka8779222420Arorae91782604712Banaba1193057107Beru81883704711,010Betio124649781,0272,193Butaritari19349363711,360Kiritimati8562355181683Kuria2631142221420Maiana5554325451885Makin726296184513Marakei2318639257936Nikunau44217156168783Nonouti35284085561,027North Tabiteuea8650173544851North Tarawa31206224191,092Onotoa8450173544851South Tabiteuea2741381164613Tabuaeran1347173203436Tamana354254271582TUC Teinainano Urban Council2611411,5861,3113,299Teraina3259145187423Total1,5819949,16210,12321,860 Aftermath The NPP's success in electing Teannaki indicated a growing importance of centralised political parties in Kiribati. After their defeat, the SDP, Reitan Kiribati, and Te Waaki ae Boou unified as the Maneaba Party, led by Teiwaki.Van Trease 1992 72–73 Teannaki's government first met the following December. As president, he selected cabinet members to represent both Protestants and Catholics as well as each geographic region.Teiwaki 1993 147 This included his appointment of Iuta as vice-president and minister of finance. Tabai received a ministry position, but he left the government to serve as secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum.Van Trease 1992 73 Teiwaki criticised Teannaki's government for what he felt was a lack of interest in providing public funding and addressing issues in urban areas.Teiwaki 1993 148 Teannaki's presidency ended in 1994 after he was ousted with a motion of no confidence. He was defeated by Tito in the subsequent election.Somoza 2001 975 Notes References 1 April 1991 Who Will Take Over From Tabai? https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-342894423/view?sectionId=nla.obj-351886978&searchTerm=teannaki&partId=nla.obj-342927023#page/n16/ Pacific Islands Monthly 58 5 25 PIM 1991 Reilly Benjamin 2002 Social Choice in the South Seas: Electoral Innovation and the Borda Count in the Pacific Island Countries http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192512102023004002 International Political Science Review 23 4 355–372 10.1177/0192512102023004002 0192-5121 subscription Somoza Alexander Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific 2001 Oxford University Press 9780191600012 Nohlen Dieter Kiribati https://academic.oup.com/book/36353/chapter/319884688 subscription Grotz Florian Hartmann Christof 673–686 Teiwaki Roniti 1993 Kiribati in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1991 to 30 June 1992 https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/06018b9f-6ed2-48a7-9807-719996f3fc4a The Contemporary Pacific 5 1 147–149 Van Trease Howard 1992 The 1991 election in Kiribati http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223349208572718 The Journal of Pacific History 27 3 66–73 10.1080/00223349208572718 0022-3344 subscription Van Trease Howard Atoll Politics: The Republic of Kiribati https://books.google.com/books?id=7rg-swcHq9QC 1993 Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies 978-0-9583300-0-8 Kiribati President Category:Presidential elections in Kiribati Category:Non-partisan elections in Kiribati Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results