Yearbook 2011
Nauru. According to Countryaah official site, the political year started quietly after the parliamentary stalemate that had ruled much of 2010 was broken at the end of that year and President Marcus Stephen was re-elected for a new three-year term. But in November 2011, the political turmoil began again, which ended with the opposition succeeding in taking power.
On November 10, President Stephen was forced to resign because of corruption charges. The allegations that the president was trying to get bribes from Thai phosphate traders came from opposition member David Adeang, who had presented a statement of no confidence in Stephen. The president rejected the charges, but chose to resign himself instead of waiting for the vote of no confidence. He was replaced by Freddy Pitcher. Almost a week later, Pitcher was voted out in a vote of no confidence on the initiative of David Adeang. Prior to this vote, Telecommunications Minister Sprent Dabwido had gone to the opposition and could thus join in voting Pitcher. Parliament then elected the same Dabwido as new president.
On November 16, Dabwido presented the new government, where David Adeang was the new Finance Minister. Adeang had been petitioned from that post in 2007 following corruption charges in which Thai businessmen should also have been involved, but he was never charged with any crime. He also became Minister of Justice. Dabwido himself took care of several ministerial posts in addition to the presidency, including that of Foreign Minister.
According to Dabwido, constitutional reforms are needed to stabilize politics in Nauru. He referred to reform proposals that had been debated in Parliament for several years and said they must become law. The proposals are to expand Parliament with a member, that the Speaker should be picked up outside Parliament and that a leadership code be introduced.