Editing Politics of Tuvalu (section)

===Maatia Toafa government succeeded by the Willy Telavi government in December 2010===

{{Main|Telavi Ministry}}

On 24 December 2010, a [[motion of no confidence]] against [[Maatia Toafa]] was carried by eight votes to seven.<ref name="RNZI_57819">{{cite news |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=57819 |title=Nominations open for new Tuvalu PM |date=22 December 2010 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref> On 25 December 2010 [[Willy Telavi]] was elected prime minister with an (8:7) majority over [[Enele Sopoaga]].<ref name="IPU10"/><ref name="RNZI_57873">{{cite news |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=57873 |title=Willie Telavi the new prime minister in Tuvalu |date=24 December 2010 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref>

Minister of Works [[Isaia Italeli]] died suddenly in July 2011,<ref name="RNZI_61940">{{cite news |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=61940 |title=Samoa police rule out foul play in death of Tuvalu minister |date=21 July 2011 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=3 November 2011}}</ref><ref name="ITI">{{cite web| title= State Funeral for the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon Isaia Taeia Italeli | publisher= Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 01/2011) |date= 25 July 2011 |url= http://www.tuvaluislands.com/stamps/phil-bur/newsletter/TPB%20Newsletter%202011-01.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120501160553/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/stamps/phil-bur/newsletter/TPB%20Newsletter%202011-01.pdf|url-status= usurped|archive-date= 1 May 2012|access-date=20 November 2012}}</ref> which led to a [[2011 Nui by-election|by-election in the Nui constituency]] in the following month. The election was won by his widow, [[Pelenike Isaia]], who became only the second woman ever to have sat in the Tuvaluan parliament.<ref name="IPU10"/> The by-election was described as "pivotal", as Italeli's death had deprived Prime Minister [[Willy Telavi]] of his government's one seat majority in parliament. Pelenike Isaia's election restored it, strengthening the government.<ref>[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2011-08-25/tuvalu-government-set-to-retain-power/208212 "Tuvalu PM to remain in power"], ABC Radio Australia (audio), 25 August 2011</ref>