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Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands Government Stats

Definitions

  • Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
  • Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
  • Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
  • Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
  • Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
  • International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
  • Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
STAT AMOUNT DATE RANK HISTORY
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 2013
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 9 26 S, 159 57 E 2008
Capital city > Name Honiara 2011
Constitution adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; amended several times, last in 2010 2012
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament 2013
Executive branch > Chief of state Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July 2009) 2013
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Gordon Darcy LILO (since 16 November 2011) 2013
Government type parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm 2013
International organization participation ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO 2013
Judicial branch Court of Appeal 2012
Legal system mixed legal system of English common law and customary law 2013
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament 2011
Political parties and leaders Direct Development Party or DDP [Dick HA'AMORI]
Independent Democratic Party or IDP [Snyder RINI]
People's Alliance Party or PAP [James MEKAB]
People's Congress Party or PCP [Fred FONO]
People's Federation Party or PFP [Rudolf DORA]
Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party or OUR [Manasseh SOGAVARE]
Reform Democratic Party or RDP [Danny PHILIP]
Rural and Urban Political Party or RUPP [Samuel MANETOALI]
Solomon Islands Democratic Party or SIDP [Steve ABANA]
Solomon Islands Liberal Party or SILP [Derek SIKUA]
Solomon Islands National Party or SINP [Francis HILLY]
Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]
United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]
2013
Political pressure groups and leaders Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM)
Malaita Eagle Force (MEF)
2013
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 2013

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011

Citation

0

Solomon Islands politics being characterized by fluid coalitions bears no relation to the education levels of the country’s leaders. It merely indicates that no single political party is able to win a majority of the seats in parliament or establish a firm coalition with another party. <p>In order to pass legislation, the government (the party with the most seats) must persuade some of the members of other parties to vote along with it. If there were two parties with several common goals or ideals, they might form a longstanding coalition. If such a coalition cannot be formed, the ruling party must attract enough votes for pieces of legislation on a case-by-case basis, usually by promising to pass a law desired by the coalition partners or providing some other benefit. <p>The “fluidity” of the coalitions refers to the fact that they are not static, but constantly changing.

Posted on 30 Mar 2005

Ian Graham, Staff Editor

Ian Graham, Staff Editor

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