Politics of the Cook Islands: Difference between revisions

The '''politics of the Cook Islands''' takes place in a framework of a [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[representative democracy]] within a [[constitutional monarchy]]. The [[monarchy of New Zealand|monarch of New Zealand]], represented in the [[Cook Islands]] by the [[King's Representative|King or Queen's Representative]], is the [[head of state]]; the [[Prime Minister of the Cook Islands|prime minister]] is the [[head of government]] of a [[multi-party system]]. The nation is self-governing and fully responsible for its internal and foreign affairs; it has run its own foreign and defence policy since 2001.<ref>{{cite news |title=Constitution of the Cook Islands |url=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/60530e114.pdf |access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref> [[Executive power]] is exercised by [[Government of the Cook Islands|the government]], while [[legislative power]] is vested in both the government and [[Parliament of the Cook Islands|the parliament]]. [[Judiciary of the Cook Islands|The judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislatures.

The Constitution of the Cook Islands<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Constitution of the Cook Islands|url=http://www.paclii.org/ck/legis/num_act/cotci327/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute}}</ref> took effect on 4 August 1965, when the Cook Islands became a [[political status of the Cook Islands and Niue|self-governing state]] in [[associated state|free association]] with New Zealand. The anniversary of these events is commemorated annually on [[Constitution Day]], with the week-long activities of Te Maeva Nui Celebrations locally.

{{see also|Government of the Cook Islands}}

| [[Prime Minister of the Cook Islands|Prime Minister]] || [[Mark Brown (Cook Islands politician)|Mark Brown]] || [[Cook Islands Party|CIP]] || 1 October 2020

Ten years of rule by the [[Cook Islands Party]] (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister [[Joe Williams (Cook Islands politician)|Joe Williams]]. Williams had led a minority government since October 1999 when the [[New Alliance Party (Cook Islands)|New Alliance Party]] (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition [[Democratic Alliance Party (Cook Islands)|Democratic Party]] (DAP). On 18 November 1999, DAP leader [[Terepai Maoate]] was sworn in as prime minister. He was succeeded by his co-partisan [[Robert Woonton]]. When Woonton lost his seat in the 2004 elections, [[Jim Marurai]] took over.

In the 2010 elections, the CIP regained power and [[Henry Puna]] was sworn in as prime minister on 30 November 2010. His deputy, Mark Brown, succeeded him in 2020, when Puna was elected Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum. Brown was reelected prime minister in 2022 with an increased majority.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cookislandsnews.com/uncategorised/internal/national/politics/lets-get-to-work/ | title='Let's get to work' |work=Cook Islands News |date=7 September 2022}}</ref>

On 13 June 2008, a small majority of members of the House of Ariki attempted a coup, claiming to dissolve the elected government and to take control of the country's leadership. "Basically we are dissolving the leadership, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister and the ministers," chief Makea Vakatini Joseph Ariki explained. The ''Cook Islands Herald'' suggested that the ''[[ali'i|ariki]]'' were attempting thereby to regain some of their traditional prestige or ''[[Mana (Oceanian mythology)|mana]]''.<ref name="TVNZ_1845025">{{cite news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1845025 |title=Cooks heading for internal strife |date=13 June 2008 |work=[[1News|One News]] |access-date=3 November 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091204155459/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1845025 |archive-date=2009-12-04 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Stuff.co.nz_487892">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/487892 |title=NZ Maori stirs Cooks sovereignty stoush |date=13 June 2008 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |agency=[[New Zealand Press Association]] |access-date=3 November 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003202250/https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/487892 |archive-date=2012-10-03 |url-status=live}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Jim Marurai]] described the take-over move as "ill-founded and nonsensical".<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_492347">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/492347 |title=NZ Maori behind strange Cook's 'coup' |date=17 June 2008 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=3 November 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003202702/http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/492347 |archive-date=2012-10-03 |url-status=live}}</ref> By 23 June, the situation appeared to have normalised, with members of the House of Ariki accepting to return to their regular duties.<ref name="RNZI_40504">{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/177854/cook-islands-chiefs-drop-take-over-claim,-return-to-normal-duties |title=Cook Islands chiefs drop take over claim, return to normal duties |date=23 June 2008 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=2026-03-26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909224355/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/177854/cook-islands-chiefs-drop-take-over-claim,-return-to-normal-duties |archive-date=2024-09-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>