HONIARA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele and opposition leader Matthew Wale have emerged as contenders for the position of Solomon Islands' prime minister, local media reported on Wednesday.
At the close of nominations on Tuesday, Governor General of Solomon Islands David Vunagi had received two nominees, Manele and Wale, for the post of prime minister, according to Tavuli News.
Solomon Islands' 50 newly elected members of parliament will choose a new prime minister in a secret ballot on Thursday, after a parliamentary election on April 17 delivered an inconclusive result.
Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced on Monday his withdrawal from running for a new term and Manele was nominated as his coalition's prime minister candidate.
His Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (OUR Party), the People First Party and the Kadere Party have joined together to form a coalition, which has 19 new members of parliament according to the result of the recent national election.
The OUR Party displayed a photo in a Facebook post on Tuesday, which says 26 of the 29 members of the Government for National Unity and Transformation coalition pose for a group photo showing their solidarity and strength to lead in the 12th parliament.
The OUR Party, now led by Manele, won most seats in the Pacific island country's parliamentary election with 15 members of parliament.
Meanwhile, 10 independent candidates have been elected as members of parliament.
On Tuesday, the opposition Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE), which consists of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party, the Democratic Alliance Party and the UMI for Change Party, joined the Solomon Islands United Party and the Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement in presenting Wale as their candidate for prime ministership.
The Solomon Islands Democratic Party, with Wale as its leader, won 11 seats in the new parliament. These five parties in the opposition coalition are supposed to have 21 members of parliament. ■
