Turmoil in PNG Parliament After Opposition Fails to Unseat PM in 4th Attempt

Despite a defection of a large number of government MPs to the Opposition, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister survives four botched no confidence motions.

Members of the Parliament attend a session at the Parliament House in Port Moresby on May 28, 2024. ANDREW KUTAN/AFP via Getty Images

A fourth attempt by Papua New Guinea’s opposition parties to unseat Prime Minister James Marape has been disallowed by Parliament’s Speaker on a technicality, causing an uproar among MPs.

Since the defection of Rainbo Paita, Mr. Marape’s former leader of government business and finance minister, and 20 other MPs—including five government ministers—in late May, the Opposition has tried and failed to bring down the government.