The

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

elects a

legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its p ...

on a national level. The

Parliament of the Cook Islands The Parliament of the Cook Islands ( rar, Pāremeta te Kuku Airani) is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand’s United Nations mandate it became the national legislature on independence in 1965. The Par ...

has 24 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Cook Islands has a

two-party system A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referre ...

, which means that there are two dominant

political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...

and it is extremely difficult for any other party to achieve electoral success. An election was held on 14 June 2018. The Cook Islands Party lost its majority, winning only 10 of 24 seats, but Prime Minister

Henry Puna Henry Tuakeu Puna (born 29 July 1949) is a Cook Islands politician, and the current secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum. He was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from November 2010 to October 2020. Since 2006 he has been leader of th ...

was able to put together a coalition by offering cabinet positions to the

One Cook Islands Movement The One Cook Islands Movement, formerly known as "Cook Islands One" is a political party in the Cook Islands. It was established in May 2014. The party was founded by former Cabinet Minister Teina Bishop after his resignation from Cabinet and exp ...

George Angene George Maggie Angene (born 8 March 1961)is a Cook Islands politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a former member of the Cook Islands Party, and is now a member of the One Cook Islands Movement. Angene was born in Tupapa Rarotonga and attended a ...

and independents Robert Tapaitau and

Rose Toki-Brown Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown (born 7 December 1976) is a Cook Islands politician, and Cabinet Minister. In July 2016 she became the Cook Islands' first female Leader of the Opposition. Career Toki-Brown was born in Areora on Atiu. She was a busi ...

Latest election

By-elections

References

{{Cook Islands topics

Latest election

By-elections

See also

References