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Cook Islands PM Mark Brown set for fifth term despite NZ China row
Preliminary election results show Brown’s Cook Islands Party is projected to win 18 of 24 seats, boosting its previous 12-seat tally.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is on track to win another term, even after a dispute with New Zealand over his government’s deepening ties with China, according to analysts cited by the South China Morning Post.
SCMP Economy reports that preliminary results from last week’s general election indicate Brown’s Cook Islands Party will secure 18 seats in the 24-member parliament, up from 12 previously, giving it a three-quarter supermajority after three independent MPs agreed to join.
The vote has broader implications beyond the Polynesian nation. SCMP notes that residents hold New Zealand citizenship and the Cook Islands economy depends heavily on tourism, imported fuel, and development funding.
New Zealand is responsible for the Cook Islands’ defense and external affairs, and the election’s biggest issues included the decision to strengthen ties with China and whether Brown’s government adequately consulted Wellington on deals covering infrastructure, tourism, and seabed mineral research. SCMP reports that a defense and security declaration signed with New Zealand in April helped ease concerns ahead of the election.