I (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May
2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006
and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no
confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority
coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%,
SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%,
SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4,
SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2,
independents 30

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian
Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John
GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or
PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon
Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party
or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew
ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA
[Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note -
these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a
wave of violence from 1999 to 2003