2020 Kiribati presidential election
 | 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. |
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Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 22 June 2020.[1]
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]
On 23 June 2020 at the Ministry of Justice headquarters in South Tarawa the Chief Justice of Kiribati, Sir John Muria, declared that Taneti Maamau, incumbent president and the MP for Onotoa, was the winner of the presidential elections. Namely, Maamau had won a majority of the vote in 16 of the country's 23 island constituencies while Berina did so in seven constituencies.[5]
Results
| 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 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | |||
| Source:[6] | |||
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.
- ^ http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=202857895ef16d53c004d8fa9822bb
- ^ https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/419640/taneti-maamau-re-elected-president-of-kiribati-in-blow-for-taiwan
