Early morning view of Nauru. Photo: New Zealand Herald/Jason Oxenham
A former Pacific Islands Forum advisor says "bread and butter" will be the focus for the Nauru elections on Saturday, likely not geopolitics, which have been dominating international headlines.
Sione Tekiteki, a senior law lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology, has over twenty years of experience working in the Pacific in high profile advisory and strategic policy positions.
He said there is an expectation in Nauru that the government will provide its people with social safety nets, through the likes of direct welfare payments and healthcare.
"Perhaps the important thing to understand about small island politics is generally the sentiment is really about what the MP that you're electing is able to provide directly for you," Tekiteki said.
"That's your bread and butter issues and for a country like Nauru that was very rich for a period of time, and then it became very poor, there's a general expectation, particularly from the community, that when you're elected, you're expected to give back."
In 2024, incumbent President David Adeang switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China.
Tekiteki said his inclination is that it would not have a strong bearing on the election.
In September, the country also signed an agreement with Australia for the resettlement of hundreds of non-citizens.
It comes with Nauru being paid AU$2.5 billion over 30 years by Australia.
"[The public] would expect to see their money back and some sort of benefit," Tekiteki said.
"When you're talking distribution, you're talking also in the context of politicians themselves and how you maintain power because everyone is independent, you have to maintain your power base in terms of your majority."
He said former president Russ Kun "learnt that the hard way in 2023" after a successful vote of no confidence that made way for Adeang.
"So being able to distribute the allocation of funds, not just to the community, but also in terms of MPs and their respective constituencies and being able to maintain your political support is also another consideration."
Tekiteki said Adeang was a respected figure who was instrumental in pulling Nauru out of bankruptcy while he was finance minister in 2013.
"He does have a track record of being able to provide money back to the country."
