This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the election progresses until official results have been published. Initial news reports may be unreliable, and the last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 22 June 2020.[1] Incumbent President Taneti Maamau of the Tobwaan Kiribati Party was re-elected with 59% of the vote.
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Campaign
Relations with China and Taiwan served as the main issue during the election, with Maamau having switched Kiribati's recognition to China from Taiwan and Berina seen as more sympathetic toward Taiwan.[2] The election was seen by many as a critical test for the Chinese Communist Party's expansionary foreign policy.[3][4]
Results
The results were declared on 23 June 2020 by Chief Justice John Muria at the Ministry of Justice headquarters in South Tarawa. Maamau won the election with 59% of the vote, receiving a majority in 16 of the 23 constituencies, while Berina finished first in seven constituencies.[5][6]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taneti Maamau | Tobwaan Kiribati | 26,053 | 59.32 |
| Banuera Berina | Boutokaan Kiribati Moa | 17,866 | 40.68 |
| Invalid/blank votes | – | ||
| Total | 43,919 | 100 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | |||
| Source: RNZ | |||
References
- ^ "Two former allies to face off for Kiribati presidency". RNZ. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ Barrett, Jonathan; Blanchard, Ben (June 19, 2020). "Fierce presidential election erupts in Pacific amid China-Taiwan tussle". Reuters. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- ^ Pala, Christopher. "China Could Be in Reach of Hawaii After Monday's Election in Kiribati". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
- ^ Smith, Nicola (2020-06-22). "Chinese expansion across Pacific faces key test in Kiribati election with island just 1,300m south of Hawaii". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
- ^ Association, Pacific Islands News. "Kiribati President Taneti Maamau to be sworn in Wednesday". www.pina.com.fj. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
- ^ Pala, Christopher (2020-06-23). "Boost for Beijing: pro-China president wins re-election in Kiribati". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-06-23.