Jeremiah Manele

Manele was first elected to parliament in 2014, representing the division of Hograno-Kia-Havulei.^[11] Following the election, the Solomon Islands People's Democratic Coalition, made up of the Democratic Alliance, the Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA) and the People First Party, nominated Manele for prime minister.^[12] Manele was defeated in the 9 December parliamentary vote by Manasseh Sogavare, earning 19 votes to Sogavare's 31.^[13] Early in his Parliamentary career, he was the leader of the opposition in the 10th Parliament of Solomon Islands.^[14] He later joined government benches, serving as the Minister for Development Planning and Aid Coordination (2017–2018).^[6] He was re-elected in the 2019 general election and served as the minister for development planning and aid coordination in the 11th Parliament.^[14][15] Subsequently, Manele was made minister of foreign affairs on 25 April 2019, travelling widely in the role.^[16][17] Later that year, he travelled to Beijing to formalise relations between the Solomon Islands and the People's Republic of China.^[18] In this role, Manele signed a security pact with China on 30 March 2022, though at the time, the details of the pact were not publicly known.^[19]

In the 2024 Solomon Islands general election, Manele retained his seat under the banner of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, though he had previously been affiliated with the Democratic Alliance Party.^[2][20] The party was unable to form an outright majority, and could not form a working coalition under its existing leader, Manasseh Sogavare.^[21] Following the election, OUR Party renewed alliances with the Kadere and People First parties, forming the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation.^[22] Manele became OUR Party leader on 29 April, after Sogavare stepped down from role and declined to seek another term as prime minister.^[23] In a secret parliamentary ballot for prime minister on 2 May, Manele won 31 votes, defeating Matthew Wale. That day, he was invited to form a government by Governor-General David Vunagi, and was sworn in as the prime minister.^[24][25]

He is described as China-friendly as he has pledged to continue the Solomon Islands' international policy that drew it closer to China.^[26] At the time of becoming prime minister, Western analysts, such as Meg Keen at the Lowy Institute, assessed that Manele would be a "less fiery and combative leader for the West to manage but he will continue to pursue close relations with China".^[27][28] Manele's cabinet was sworn in on three different ceremonies, with the first 11 assuming office on 4 May.^[29] Manele appointed Bradley Tovosia deputy prime minister while Sogavare became finance minister.^[30][31]

In December 2024, Central Honiara MP and former Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo introduced a motion of no confidence. Lilo later withdrew the motion due to a lack of support.^[32]

On 28 April 2025, Lilo introduced a second no confidence motion. The motion follows political instability, including the resignation announcement of Deputy Prime Minister Bradley Tovosia and reports of cabinet ministers defecting to the opposition. The motion is expected to be moved in Parliament around 6 May.^[33]

Together with his wife Joycelyn, Manele has four daughters and two sons.^[2]