Editing Politics of the Cook Islands (section)

==Recent political history==

The [[1999 Cook Islands general election|1999 election]] produced a [[hung Parliament]].  Cook Islands Party leader [[Geoffrey Henry]] remained prime minister, but was replaced after a month by [[Joe Williams (Cook Islands politician)|Joe Williams]] following a coalition realignment.  A further realignment three months later saw Williams replaced by Democratic Party leader [[Terepai Maoate]].  A third realignment saw Maoate replaced mid-term by his deputy [[Robert Woonton]] in 2002, who ruled with the backing of the CIP.

The Democratic Party won a majority in the [[2004 Cook Islands general election|2004 election]], but Woonton lost his seat, and was replaced by [[Jim Marurai]].  In 2005 Marurai left the Democrats due to an internal disputes, founding his own [[Cook Islands First Party]].  He continued to govern with the support of the CIP, but in 2005 returned to the Democrats.  The loss of several by-elections forced a snap-election in [[2006 Cook Islands general election|2006]], which produced a solid majority for the Democrats and saw Marurai continue as prime minister.

In December 2009, Marurai sacked his Deputy Prime Minister, [[Terepai Maoate]], sparking a mass-resignation of Democratic Party cabinet members<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=51125 |title=Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2009-12-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129:cabinet-ministers-resign-in-support-of-party-leader&catid=1:latest-news |title=Cabinet Ministers Resign in Support of Party Leader |publisher=Democratic Party - Cook Islands |date=2009-12-23 |access-date=2009-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709011911/http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129%3Acabinet-ministers-resign-in-support-of-party-leader&catid=1%3Alatest-news |archive-date=2011-07-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He and new Deputy Prime Minister [[Robert Wigmore]] were subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ciherald.co.ck/articles/h491a.htm |title=PM sacked by Demo Party |publisher=Cook Islands Herald |date=2009-12-23 |access-date=2009-12-27}}</ref> Marurai appointed three junior members of the Democratic party to Cabinet,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinews.co.ck/2009/December/Wed30/local.htm#0912240106 |title=PM appoints new ministers |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=2009-12-26 |access-date=2010-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105035904/http://www.cinews.co.ck/2009/December/Wed30/local.htm |archive-date=5 January 2010 }}</ref> but on 31 December 2009 the party withdrew its support.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=133:marurai-wilkie-coalition-falling-apart&catid=1:latest-news |title=Marurai Wilkie coalition falling apart |publisher=Democratic Party - Cook Islands |date=2009-12-31 |access-date=2010-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006221419/http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=133:marurai-wilkie-coalition-falling-apart&catid=1:latest-news |archive-date=6 October 2011 }}</ref>