In a narrow result Dalton Tagelagi has been reappointed as Niue's Prime Minister following the tiny country's recent groundbreaking election.
The unique non-partisan parliamentary system had to confirm Mr Tagelagi's appointment where MPs are elected as independents — rather than candidates for a political party — before voting for a Prime Minister in the country's Fono Ekepule assembly.
Mr Tagelagi enters his third term after almost not being elected to the Niuean parliament in the first place 12 days earlier.
The result follows a historic 24 hours for Pacific politics after the parliamentary election of new Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale in a tight 26-22 vote from MPs which represent more than 828,000 people.
But among Niue's diminutive electorates where candidates fight to earn every vote and often survive by razor-thin margins, Mr Tagelagi's claimed 111 to 110 votes for Alana Fiafia Rex in the Alofi South village district.
The narrow result forced multiple mandatory countbacks to rule out a possible deadlock, which would have instigated a coin toss to determine the common roll seat.
On Thursday Fale Fono MPs in the assembly voted 11-9 in favour of retaining Mr Tagelagi's reign ahead of his Prime Ministerial rival Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui.
The latest result confirms continuity in leadership but also exposes a deeply-divided Niuean assembly, after MPs split almost evenly among the two leadership candidates.
Billy Talagi, who lost his common roll seat, was elected as the newest speaker 12-8 votes over Togia Sioneholo during the unicameral assembly sitting.
Niue's parliament contains 14 elected tribal constituency representatives amid a plurality vote of candidates not requiring a majority — where there is no preferential voting — in addition to electing six common roll MPs nationally.
Little more than 74 per cent of the 1,167 registered voters went to the ballot box on May 2, which proved consistent with its 2023 turnout.
Niue's last census indicated its population stood at just 1,820 citizens, including children under the age of 18 years, against the backdrop of a larger diaspora living in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australia.
Mr Tagelagi, who has led Niue since 2020, was humbled by the successive tight wins.
Addressing the parliament following his re-election, Mr Tagelagi immediately called for greater unity heading in his latest term.
"These are challenging times when we go into elections because we have different perspectives and understanding, where sometimes this might divide our families and affect our relationships with one another," he said.
"I ask you to come together in this assembly (where) we make decisions for the greater good of the people.
"I humbly ask you all to work together, as we move forward with the 19th legislative assembly and government."
This year's general election result included a record-high seven female MPs, the largest representation of women throughout the Pacific islands in the homogenous Polynesian nation.
There was an expectation the mandate of more female MPs, up from four seats in 2023, would also lead to an increased support towards Niue's first female Prime Minister.
However that ended through instant runoff voting in the Fono Ekepule before the final round where candidates are ranked until they are eliminated.
