Cook Islands PM re-elected despite row over China ties with New Zealand

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has secured another term in office following last week's general election. His Cook Islands Party is projected to win 18 seats in the 24-member parliament, a significant increase from their previous 12, and will form a government with three independent MPs. This outcome occurred despite a dispute with New Zealand concerning the Cook Islands government's dealings with China. Analysts suggest that voters prioritized domestic issues like the cost of living over geopolitical concerns. The result is significant for the self-governing nation, which has close ties to New Zealand and a tourism-dependent economy.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is poised to secure a second term in office following his party's victory in the recent election. The Cook Islands Party, a nationalist group, won 12 out of 24 parliamentary seats, falling just one short of an outright majority but with a history of forming coalitions with independent lawmakers. Voters were primarily concerned with the rising cost of living and inflation, issues exacerbated by global economic anxieties. The election saw the Democratic Party, the former opposition, lose all its seats, while the Cook Islands United Party gained one seat. Brown's expected return to power comes after a period of strained relations with New Zealand over deals signed with Beijing, though a recent defense pact has eased these tensions.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is defending his four-year term ahead of a general election, where voters will consider his foreign policy decisions and economic management. A key issue is a diplomatic rift with ally New Zealand, stemming from strategic partnership deals struck with Beijing in 2025, which caused alarm in Wellington and led to a temporary halt in aid. Brown stated that while the geopolitical space is on voters' minds, these engagements are on the Cook Islands' terms. He also highlighted the nation's economic recovery, with debt halved and significant growth, despite global inflation and energy shocks. The election is expected to be a close race, with the opposition criticizing Brown's transparency regarding the China agreement and emphasizing the long-standing relationship with New Zealand.