The Pangu Pati (English: Pangu Party), officially Papua na Niugini Yunion Pati[b] (English: Papua and New Guinea Union Party),[c] is a nationalist[5][3] and developmentalist[3][4] political party on the centre-left[5] in Papua New Guinea. The party is the oldest political party in Papua New Guinea and has held all levels of government throughout its history. As of 2023, it is the largest party in the National Parliament.[9]
Papua and New Guinea Union Party Papua na Niugini Yunion Pati | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation |
|
| Leader | James Marape |
| President | Erigere Singin |
| General Secretary | Morris Tovebae |
| Treasurer | Albert Mokae |
| Founded | 13 June 1967 |
| Membership (1968) |  2,000+[1] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre to centre-left[5] |
| Colours | Green |
| Slogan | "Pangu Save Lo Rot"[6][a] |
| National Parliament | 58 / 118 (2024)[7] |
History
editThe Pangu Pati was established on 13 June 1967,[10][1] in order to contest the elections of 1968 (Papua and New Guinea).[1] At the time of its founding, the party stood-out as its ideals were for a political unification of Papua and New Guinea, stronger economic development and to grow the national income.[10] Other parties, such as the United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP), were in favour of Australian statehood.[1][11] Although the party, and its candidates, were not in a formal political union, there were ten candidates of Pangu that were elected to the House of Assembly.[12][13] The 1972 election, the last under Australian authority, saw Pangu-endorsed candidates win eighteen seats, with a total of pro-Pangu candidates reaching twenty-six.[14]
Somare later served as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea as the leader of the Pangu Party from 1972 to 1980 and from 1982 to 1985. In 1985, Paias Wingti led a faction of the party to split with Somare, and Wingti won a no-confidence vote against Somare, succeeding him as prime minister. In 1988, Somare was replaced as leader of Pangu by Rabbie Namaliu who served as prime minister from 1988 to 1992. Somare would then become leader of the National Alliance Party.
At the 2002 elections, the party won 6 of 109 seats, under the leadership of Chris Haiveta. After that election, Somare returned to power as prime minister. Pangu became a member of his coalition government, and continued to support the Somare government after the 2007 elections, in which Pangu won 5 seats.[15]
It won only one seat at the 2012 election, that of Angoram MP Ludwig Schulze, but was left unrepresented when Schulze died in March 2013.[16] In August 2014, Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Basil crossed to Pangu and reactivated its parliamentary wing, taking on the leadership.[17] The party's numbers increased to two in August 2015 when William Samb won a by-election in Goilala Open.[18]
Electoral results
edit| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Michael Somare | — | 35% (#1) | 30 / 109
|
New | Coalition |
| 1982 | No data | 51 / 109
|
21
|
Coalition | ||
| 1987 | 408,082 | 14.93 (#1) | 26 / 109
|
 25
|
Opposition | |
| 1992 | Rabbie Namaliu | 294,738 | 9.33 (#1) | 22 / 109
|
4
|
Opposition |
| 1997 | Chris Haiveta | 237,028 | 5.31 (#3) | 13 / 109
|
9
|
Opposition |
| 2002 | No data | 6 / 109
|
7
|
Opposition | ||
| 2007 | 5 / 109
|
1
|
Coalition | |||
| 2012 | Andrew Kumbakor | 1 / 111
|
4
|
Opposition | ||
| 2017 | Sam Basil | 322,049 | 4.08 (#4) | 9 / 111
|
8
|
Coalition |
| 2022 | James Marape | No data | 39 / 116
|
30
|
Coalition | |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Wolfers, Edward P. (1968). "The Emergence of Political Parties in Papua and New Guinea". The Journal of Pacific History. 3 (1968): 156. doi:10.1080/00223346808572133.
- ^ May, R. J. (2004). "Class, Ethnicity, Regionalism and Political Parties". State and Society in Papua New Guinea. ANU Press. pp. 127–146. ISBN 1920942068. JSTOR j.ctt2jbkfq.10.
- ^ a b c d e "Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1966–1969" (PDF). dfat.gov.au. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 2006.
- ^ a b "PNG Political Parties' Policies Seminar Series 2021 – Seminar Proceedings Report" (PDF). pngnri.org. National Research Institute. March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Rose, JJ (23 August 2022). "Papua New Guinea PM faces uncertain future after election disarray". Nikkei Asia.
- ^ Kabuni, Michael (17 June 2022). "PM Marape's compromised & corrupted Pangu". pngattitude.com.
- ^ Kabuni, Michael (21 February 2024). "Can Marape fashion stability in PNG?". East Asia Forum. East Asia Forum. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Papua New Guinea". cia.gov. The World Factbook.
- ^ Whiting, Natalie (9 August 2022). "James Marape will be Papua New Guinea's prime minister after an election marred by violence". ABC News. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
- ^ a b "Home rule party formed in NG". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 714. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 June 1967. p. 7. Retrieved 19 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Seventh State Party". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 688. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 May 1967. p. 3. Retrieved 19 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Pacific Islands Monthly, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Pacific Publications, 1931, ISSN 0030-8722, nla.obj-327092031, retrieved 19 June 2023 – via Trove
- ^ "The 1968 Elections IV: The Candidates" (PDF). icwa.org. Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA). 1968.
- ^ Political Parties in the Pacific Islands (PDF). ANU Press. 2006. p. 85.
- ^ "MOA to Govern". The National. 6 August 2007. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
- ^ "PM, Namah offer condolences". The National. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ "Basil now new Pangu leader". PNG Post Courier. 20 August 2014.
- ^ "Pangu Pati candidate wins Goilala". PNG Post Courier. 12 August 2015.