I talk about Kiribati's system of government from executive to legislative and how elections work on the small but vast series of islands of this little-known nation.

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Post author By Charlie May 13, 2021
The Government System of Kiribati
theweeklyrambler.com/the-government-system-of-kiribati/
Kiribati is a tiny island nation spread across a large area of the central Pacific Ocean, it is
made up of 32 atolls and a raised coral island mostly a part of the Gilbert Islands chain,
although some of Kiribati exists outside of this chain. The capital city is South Tarawa,
located on the Tarawa atoll. Kiribati’s easternmost islands are in the most
advanced timezone that exists. It is the only country in the world to be situated in all four
hemispheres. The islands stretch through the geographic subregions of Melanesia,
Micronesia, and Polynesia. Other nearby islands to Kiribati include US Minor Outlying
Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and Tuvalu.
The area that is Kiribati now a days has been inhabited by Austronesian peoples since
between 3,000 BC and 1,300 AD. Settlers and voyagers from nearby Samoa, Tonga, and
Fiji would introduce culture from Polynesia and Melanesia. Cultural differences were
blurred by intermarriage and navigation. Local lore keepers suggest that the
area was first inhabited by seafaring peoples from Melanesia who were eventually visited
by early Austronesian seafarers coming from a place called Matang in the West, and over
time both groups clashed and intermingled until they became a uniform population.
Around the 15 Century contrasting governing systems developed, one in the Northern
islands, and one in the South and Central islands. Turmoil, civil war, and blood feuds are
thought to have started up at some point before European colonization arrived, and some
of the chiefs and clans gained dominance via the usage of weapons from or support of
Europeans. Europeans had found the islands by chance in the 17 and 18 centuries.
This enabled trade to grow in the area, but also led to European labour ships coming to
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the area involved in blackbirding where Pacific Islanders were tricked or kidnapped into
working as slaves or for very poor pay, many of whom would never return to their
homes.
An Anglo-German Agreement was written up in 1886 over what the imperial powers of
the time saw as the unclaimed central Pacific, where Nauru came under German
influence, while the British gained influence over Ocean Island (now a days called
Banaba and a part of Kiribati) and eventually the rest of the Gilbert and Ellice islands
group, which included parts of Kiribati, Tokelau (now part of New Zealand), and Tuvalu.
The area would eventually largely come under a British Protectorate.
The Gilbert and Ellice islands would become a crown colony in 1916, joined by the
Northern Line Islands and Christmas Island in 1919 and then the Phoenix Islands in
1937.
During World War II, following the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese occupied parts
of Kiribati including Tarawa, from 1941 and would later be liberated by US forces in 1943,
which included the Battle of Tarawa, one of the bloodiest battles in US Marine Corps
history. The Japanese would hold Banaba, and would commit genocide against
its inhabitants before the island was liberated in 1945.
After World War II the colony would be used to conduct nuclear weapons and hydrogen
bomb tests in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the United States and the United
Kingdom, specifically on Christmas Island.
From around 1967 Tarawa would establish institutions for internal self-rule. The Ellice
Islands wished to be separated from the rest of the colony and were also granted
institutions for internal self-rule, they separated from the colony in 1976 and gained
independence in 1978 becoming Tuvalu. The Gilbert Islands would gain independence in
1979 and become Kiribati, the Northern Line Islands and Phoenix Islands, which had
been incorporated as US overseas territories, would be disputed by Kiribati, the islands
were granted to Kiribati following the Treaty of Tarawa in 1979.
Currently one of the biggest issues facing Kiribati are rising sea levels caused by climate
change, which could one day see the entire nation vanish, this could mean one day that
the islands may need to be evacuated and its citizens migrated to a new nation. Some
believe it is now too late to save the islands, even if everything possible was done to
combat climate change.
The official languages are English and Gilbertese, Protestant Christianity is the largest
religion, the country does not have its own currency and instead uses the Australian
Dollar alongside Australia, Tuvalu (who use it alongside their own currency), and Nauru.
The country’s population is over 121,030.
Government Type

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Kiribati Coat of Arms.
Kiribati is a parliamentary representative democratic republic led by a President who is
both Head of State and Head of Government, in Kiribati the President is called
the Beretitenti. The legislative government is made up of a unicameral parliament called
the House of Assembly. Multiple parties are allowed.
It is to be noted this post is written based off the country’s constitution up until 2013, there
have been two further amendments since then in 2016 and 2018, unfortunately no
information can be found on these, at least for free or without being a part of some
special-access research/educational program/institution. This means if you are using this
seriously you will need to do cross-research.
The Executive Government

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Presidential residence, Bairiki, South Tarawa. Photo by Jopolopy from Flickr. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Source.
There is a President who is Head of State and Head of Government and therefore leads
the Executive. There is also a Vice-President, known as the Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti, who
assists the President. The Vice-President is appointed by the President from among
his/her Ministers.
The President has the Prerogative of Mercy, which is used in accordance with advice of
the Cabinet. The power includes granting pardons either free or conditional, granting
respite either indefinitely or for a limited period, substituting a less severe form of
punishment, and remitting whole or in part a punishment.
The President constitutes and abolishes public offices in accordance with Cabinet advice,
laws, and provisions of the Constitution.
The members of the Electoral Commission are appointed by the President in accordance
with Cabinet advice, the chosen members are presented to the House of Assembly who
may choose to reject any of those appointed via a resolution. Members of the Electoral
Commission cannot also be members of the House of Assembly, the Chief Electoral
Commissioner must also be a Judge or Magistrate in Kiribati. They all serve single 5-year
terms and then must vacate.
The Chief Justice is appointed by the President in accordance with advice of the Cabinet
following consultation with the Public Service Commission. The Chief Justice is a judge of
the High Court. Other judges if the High Court are appointed by the President on advice
of the Chief Justice sitting with the Public Service Commission. The President may also

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appoint Commissioners of the High Court whenever there are insufficient judges for
business, this is done on advice of the Chief Justice sitting with the Public Service
Commission.
Chief Justice and High Court judges are also judges of the Court of Appeal, further judges
may be appointed here by the President with advice from the Chief Justice sitting with the
Public Service Commission. The President of the Court of Appeal is appointed in the
same way.
Judges can be removed from office if considered by the President or resolved as such by
the House of Assembly, if so, the President appoints a tribunal consisting of
a Chairman and no less than two others, whom holds or has held judicial office. During
such an investigation the President can suspend a Judge from their position. Decision to
remove the judge based on advice from the tribunal is taken by the House of Assembly.
The Public Service Commission is appointed by the President (a Chairman and four
commissioners), and can also be removed by the President, both actions taken in
accordance with advice of the Speaker of the House of Assembly and Chief Justice
acting jointly. Members serve 3-years or less.
Presidential Vacancy, Absence, and Council of State
If the Presidency has become vacant due to a vote of no confidence, then the Council of
State takes up the operations of the presidency until a new President is elected in the
next Presidential election following General Elections.
The Council of State is a body that advises the President. The Council of State consists
of a Chairman who is also the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, the Chief
Justice, and the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
If the Presidency has become vacant for any other reason, then the Vice-President
assumes the office of President and will serve out the rest of the term unless this is not
approved by the House of Assembly whereby then elections will be held for a new
President. If there is no Vice-President the Cabinet will elect one of its Ministers to
assume the Presidency, again they may serve for the remainder of the term if approved
by the House of Assembly, otherwise fresh elections are held.
If the President is temporarily absent for any reason including illness then the Vice-
President assumes the functions of the Presidency until the return of the President.
Emergency Provisions
A period of Public Emergency may be declared due to war or via a proclamation due to
some other exceptional circumstance. The President acting on advice of the Cabinet,
may at any time declare that a state of public emergency exists, and therefore make
regulations for dealing with the public emergency. Such a proclamation will cease after
three days (or 30 days if proclamation was made during a meeting of the House of
Assembly) unless it has been approved by a resolution of the House of Assembly.
Presidential Removal

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The President can be removed from office via a vote of no confidence against him or on
losing a matter of confidence put forth by the President themselves. The President can
also be removed from office due to incapacity to effectively perform duties.
An investigation into the President physical and mental capacity can be brought forth by a
resolution of the House of Assembly by a majority of votes. If this happens the Speaker
notifies the Chief Justice who shall appoint a Medical Board that consists of no less than
three persons qualified as medical practitioners under the law of Kiribati or any other law
of any country within the Commonwealth. The board will investigate the matter and will
report their opinion to the House of Assembly.
The House of Assembly following this, vote on whether to remove the President or not
from office due to possible incapacity, a majority is required to do so.
The Executive
The Executive is run by the President and his/her Cabinet of Ministers, the highest
executive decision-making body. The Cabinet as well as the President includes the Vice-
President, Attorney-General, and no more than eleven other Ministers. The Ministers are
appointed by the President from among the members of the House of Assembly, the
President may remove and replace Ministers.
The Ministers handle business of Government assigned to them including administration
of Government departments.
The Attorney-General acts as the Government’s principal legal advisor and is appointed
by the President, and can be removed and replaced by the President. The person
appointed to the position must be qualified to practice in Kiribati as an advocate in the
High Court.
The President and his/her Cabinet are collectively responsible to the House of Assembly
and must keep its confidence to remain in power. The Cabinet is summoned by the
President, who attends and presides over all of its meetings. The President decides on
the business that shall be considered by the Cabinet.
Issue of confidence can be brought about by members of the House of Assembly or the
President may put a bill forward as an issue of confidence in his/her Government. If the
President and Government lose confidence then they must resign and the House of
Assembly is dissolved for fresh elections.
The Legislative Government

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Meeting place of the House of Assembly, Ambo, South Tarawa. Photo by jopolopy from Flickr.
CC BY-NC 2.0. Source.
The House of Assembly, known as the Maneaba ni Maungatabu, is the unicameral
chamber that makes up the legislative government. Its main purpose is to consider,
possibly amend, and either pass or reject resolutions and legislative bills that have been
introduced. The House of Assembly also has some other powers and provides a degree
of oversight to actions of the Government. As it stands the House of Assembly currently
has 45 members. Elected members can be removed, this can be started via a petition
signed by a majority of the persons who were registered as electors, at the time of the
last election of that member, within the electoral district from which the member was
elected.
Such a petition meeting the requirements is sent to the Electoral Commission, and a
referendum is conducted to determine whether the member should vacate their seat, if a
majority vote to remove then the member must vacate their seat, a by-election
is organised and held to replace them.
The above removal cannot be performed against Ministers, Vice-President or the
President.
The House of Assembly has power over acquisition of citizenship, and renunciation
of citizenship, under terms set by law and the constitution.
The House of Assembly also has the power to pass a vote of no confidence against the
President or their Government, in such a case if supported by a majority the President
and Government must resign. The President themselves can also put a vote on a matter

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as a vote of confidence on themselves, which if lost by a majority against means they
would have to resign. Also, if the President ceases to be a member of the House of
Assembly or if the House is dissolved then the President also vacates office.
Legislative bills passed by the House of Assembly are given assent by the President. The
President may only refuse to give assent if they believe the legislative bill goes against
the constitution, in such a case the bill is returned for amendment, if it is passed again
without amendment or the President still believes it to go against the constitution, then the
President refers the bill to the High Court for their opinion. If the High Court declares it to
not be against the constitution then the President must give assent, if it does declare it
goes against the constitution the bill is returned to the House of Assembly.
Legislative bills are introduced by members of the House of Assembly. Money bills or
related amendments may not be moved upon by the House of Assembly without first
having recommendation from the Cabinet that is certified by a Minister.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly is elected from outside of the chamber and is not
considered a member, they are elected via absolute majority through multiple rounds. The
Speaker ensures procedure is followed, rules are abided, and represents the House of
Assembly in an impartial manner. The Speaker can be removed from his/her post via a
resolution supported by at least a two-thirds majority.
Subject to provisions of the Constitution, the President or at least one-third of the House
of Assembly membership may advise the Speaker to summon the House at any time.
The House of Assembly holds the power to appoint the Public Accounts Committee.
The Electoral System

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Map by TUBS and edited by Peter Fitzgerald from Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0.
Source.
Presidential Elections take place following General Elections of the House of Assembly.
The House of Assembly following election of their Speaker shall nominate no less than
three and no more than four candidates for President/Beretitenti from among their own
members. The Presidential Election will follow and the winner is determined by simple
majority. One person can serve a maximum of three terms (each term being four years
which runs alongside the term of the House of Assembly).
General Elections for the House of Assembly happen every 4-years. 44 of the members
are elected from single-seat and multi-seat constituencies using a two-round absolute
majority system. One further member is nominated to the House of Assembly by the Rabi
Council of Leaders for Banaba Island, although the Rabi Islanders are Fijian, they still
hold Kiribati passports and have ancestry to Banaba Island, and are considered to own
the island.
If the chosen President is a member who represents a single-seat constituency, then that
constituency holds a by-election to elect an additional member to represent it.
Candidates for the House of Assembly must be a citizen of Kiribati and be at least 21-
years-old, and not meet any of the disqualifications within the constitution.
To vote in elections one must be a Kiribati citizen who is at least 18-years-old, cannot be
serving a prison sentence exceeding 12 months, insane or of unsound mind, or be
disqualified due to electoral offenses. Voting is not mandatory.

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Sources
Source for this comes from Kiribati’s 1979 constitution with amendments up until 2013
(constituteproject.org) and so it does not include changes made in 2016 and 2018
unfortunately as such information is not readily available, not easily accessed, or is not
free to access. As such it is strongly advised to perform cross-research if using this
seriously.
Amendments to the constitution are proposed by the House of Assembly, with passage
requiring a two-thirds majority. Amendments that affect amendment procedures or certain
parts of the constitutional chapter on citizenship requires it to be deferred to a newly
elected House of Assembly who must approve it by a two-thirds majority and also be
supported by the member nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders. Amendments that
affect protection of fundamental rights and freedoms must also be approved by at least
two-thirds majority in a national referendum.
Next up will be the government system of Kuwait.
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