Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has announced that he will step down after his party received a disappointing result in the recent general elections, capturing only 15 out of 50 parliamentary seats. Sogavare, who shifted the country’s diplomatic alliance from Taiwan to China in 2019, had been at the center of geopolitical tensions involving the United States and China.

The election results have left the formation of a new government to independent and micro-party representatives, as a majority of 26 seats is needed to form a government. Jeremiah Manele, the former foreign minister and a member of Sogavare’s political party, is now nominated for the prime ministerial role. The election outcome highlights ongoing regional and global interest in the Solomon Islands’ future foreign policy and alignment.

Elsewhere, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, suffered a significant defeat in recent parliamentary by-elections, losing all three contested seats to the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ). This defeat is linked to a corruption scandal involving untracked campaign funds, which has severely impacted the LDP’s public image and Kishida’s leadership stability. The loss underscores growing public dissatisfaction and pushes for political reform within the country. The CDPJ’s victories in traditionally conservative regions indicate possible shifts in political allegiance among voters.