Yearbook 2007
Kiribati. According to
CountryAAH, President Anote Tong and his party Boutokaan Te
Koaua (BTK) took home the victory in both the parliamentary
and presidential elections. In the parliamentary elections,
which were held in two rounds on August 22 and 30,
respectively, those entitled to vote could choose from 146
candidates competing for the 42 seats in Parliament.
Education and the lack of jobs were major issues. The
turnout was around 80 percent.
BTK received the most votes and a majority of the
mandate, but still formed an alliance with the small Maurin
Kiribati Party (MKP). Maneaban Te Mauri (MTM) lost many of
its former parliamentary seats.
In the October 17 presidential election, incumbent
President Anote Tong is re-elected. Parliament appoints the
presidential candidates, and all four came from the BTK-MKP
coalition. The two candidates of the opposition were not
nominated in Parliament's closed ballot. A few days before
the election, supporters of the opposition held a peaceful
demonstration in the Bairiki district of the capital Tarawa
to show their dissatisfaction.
After the election, Anote Tong said that one of his main
tasks was to create jobs, especially for well-educated young
people returning to Kiribati after studying abroad.
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