While final results are still a week away, the Marshall Islands appears certain to have a change of Government in the wake of last week's elections.
The administration of Kessai Note, who has been President for three terms, and his United Democratic Party, will not have a majority and could be shut out of government altogether.
Officials are still collating absentee votes from within the country, while overseas postal votes will not be counted until next week.
Our correspondent in Majuro, Giff Johnson, says the opposition Aelon Kein Ad party aleady has fifteen of the 17 seats it needs for a majority.
"There are four seats that are up in the air and waiting - the results are so close that the postal ballots could change which way they go. So depending on how those four seats go will tell us whether the Opposition party has enough to form a government, or whether for the first time in history we will have a coalition government in the Marshall Islands."
Giff Johnson
