4 Aug 2006

Tuvalu election results heralds change

1:33 pm on 4 August 2006

A change of government is being predicted in Tuvalu after voters went to the polls yesterday.

Half of the MPs elected are new and it's unclear at this point who will be Prime Minister for the next four years.

32 candidates, including two women, contested 15 seats and preliminary results show eight newcomers were successful.

Neither of the women was successful.

One was Annie Homasi, who stood against the caretaker Prime Minister Maatia Toafa, who became the prime minister in 2004.

The secretary to government, Panapasi Nelesone, says it's too early to say what form the new government will take.

"Predictions so far are it may change, but we never know. We hope to know more about that by next week."

Mr Panapasi says it'll be up to the caretaker Prime Minister to get support from the new MPs.

He says there are a number of young, new MPs who could lead the country.