1987 Papua New Guinean general election

General elections were held in Papua New Guinea between 13 June and 4 July 1987.[1] The Pangu Party emerged as the largest party, winning 26 of the 109 seats. Voter turnout was 73.5%.

1987 Papua New Guinean general election
Papua New Guinea
← 1982 13 June-4 July 1987 1992 →

All 109 seats in the National Parliament
55 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
Pangu Pati Michael Somare 14.93 26 −25
PDM Paias Wingti 10.93 17 New
National Party 4.97 12 −1
MAP Michael Somare 5.62 7 −1
PAP Ted Diro 3.21 6 New
PPP Julius Chan 6.16 5 −9
Morobe Utula Samana 2.23 4 New
LNA John Nilkare 4.83 3 New
Papua Party Galeva Kwarara 1.27 3 +3
United Party 3.19 1 −8
Independents 40.90 22 +18
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Paias Wingti
PDM
Paias Wingti
PDM

Results

edit

None of the eighteen female candidates were elected, leading to the first all-male National Parliament in Papua New Guinea's history.[2]

Following the elections, all 22 elected independents joined parties, while two National Party MPs defected; the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) gained nine MPs, the People's Action Party eight, the People's Progress Party (PPP) five, and the Pangu Party and United Party one.[3] The three vacant seats were later won by the National Party, PDM and PPP.[4]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Pangu Pati408,08214.9326–25
People's Democratic Movement298,71510.9317New
People's Progress Party168,2806.165–9
Melanesian Alliance Party153,6115.627–1
National Party135,7614.9712–1
League for National Advancement132,0014.833New
People's Action Party87,8363.216New
United Party87,2433.191–8
Morobe Independent Group60,9222.234New
Papua Party34,6361.2730
Papua Besena17,1220.630–3
Wantok Party17,0280.620New
Country Party10,7430.390New
Leiba Party2,6110.100New
National Settlement Party1640.010New
Independents1,117,63540.9022+18
Vacant3
Total2,732,390100.001090
Total votes1,355,477
Registered voters/turnout1,843,12873.54
Source: Saffu, Nohlen et al.

Aftermath

edit

The newly elected Parliament met on 5 August to elect the Prime Minister. Incumbent Prime Minister Paias Wingti defeated former Prime Minister Michael Somare by a vote of 54 to 51.[5] Wingti formed a 25-member cabinet, with Minister of Education Aruru Matiabe also serving as Acting Foreign Minister due to the previous incumbent Ted Diro being accused of corruption during an ongoing inquiry.[6][5] Diro was instead appointed as a minister without portfolio.[6]

Wingti cabinet
Position Minister
Prime Minister Paias Wingti
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Trade and Industry
Julius Chan
Minister for Administrative Services Johnson Maladina
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Gai Duwabane
Minister for Civil Aviation Hugo Berghuser
Minister for Communications Gabriel Ramoi
Minister for Corrective Institutions Aron Noaio
Minister for Defence James Pokasui
Minister for Education Aruru Matiabe
Minister for Environment and Conservation Perry Zeipi
Minister for Finance and Planning Galeva Kwarara
Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Alan Ebu
Minister for Forests Tom Horik
Minister for Health Tim Ward
Minister for Home Affairs and Youth Eserom Burege
Minister for Housing Tom Amaiu
Minister for Justice Albert Kipalan
Minister for Labour and Employment Masket Iangalio
Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Kalas Swokim
Minister for Minerals and Energy John Kaputin
Minister for Police Legu Vagi
Minister for Public Service Dennis Young
Minister for Transport Roy Yaki
Minister for Works Aita Ivarato
Minister without Portfolio Ted Diro

References

edit
  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p770 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  2. ^ Sepoe, Orovu, "To make a difference: Realities of women’s participation in Papua New Guinea politics", Development Bulletin, no. 59, 2002, p.40. (Electronic version Archived 2009-09-13 at the Wayback Machine)
  3. ^ Nohlen et al., p774
  4. ^ Yaw Saffu Papua New Guinea in 1987: Wingti's Coalition in a Disabled System
  5. ^ a b Wingti The Victorious Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1987, pp12–15
  6. ^ a b The New Government Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1987, p16
edit