Solomon Islands' pro-China Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has retained his seat in the national election, according to local media reports, but it will take days to know if his party has won enough support to form the next government.
This week's election was the first since Mr Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing, in moves that concerned the United States and Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.
National broadcaster SIBC reported provisional results late on Friday showing that he had retained his seat of East Choiseul.
The results of the national and provincial elections held in Solomon Islands are being announced over several days and are being closely watched by China, the US and Australia.
Daniel Suidani, a prominent critic of China who was the premier of Malaita province until he was ejected in a no-confidence vote last year, has been re-elected to the Malaita provincial assembly, election officials said.
As premier, he banned Chinese companies from Malaita, the country's most populous province, and accepted US development aid before being ousted last year in a no-confidence vote by politicians for his refusal to recognise China.
He told the ABC that he would stand to become premier once again when the position is contested in the coming months.
"Seeing that I haven't finished my work as premier, [I will] still contest the premiership this year in Malaita," he said.
The man who replaced Mr Suidani as premier, Martin Fini, has also been bundled out of Malaita's local parliament after losing his seat.
Full results for the 50-member national parliament, expected to be known by Monday, will indicate whether any party has achieved a majority, or whether negotiations to form a coalition are needed before a new prime minister is selected.
Reuters/ABC
