Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Cook Islands ruling party likely retains parliament in preliminary results
The Cook Islands is a small group of islands in the Pacific Ocean with about 15,000 people living on 15 islands.
People there vote to choose their parliament.
After a recent election, it looks like Prime Minister Mark Brown's party won just enough seats to keep running the country.
His party won 12 seats out of 24, which is the smallest possible winning number.
One small island called Nassau could not finish voting because of bad weather, so those votes will happen another day.
The Cook Islands works closely with New Zealand, and people from the islands are New Zealand citizens.
Some disagreements happened because the Cook Islands signed deals with China without telling New Zealand first, but the two countries are working together again.
The leader also wants to mine minerals from the deep sea, which could be worth a lot of money.
Some people who care about nature are worried this could hurt sea animals and plants.
So people are waiting to see if the result changes after the last votes are counted.
Preliminary results give Prime Minister Mark Brown's Cook Islands Party 12 of 24 parliamentary seats, the narrowest possible majority.
Bad weather delayed voting on the remote northern atoll of Nassau, now expected to take place Thursday local time.
The Cook Islands' population of about 15,000 is spread across 15 islands, making elections logistically difficult.
Relations with New Zealand, with which the Cook Islands is in free association, were strained after agreements with China were signed without consulting Wellington; funding was halted but has since resumed.
Brown is pushing to develop undersea mining of polymetallic nodules, while environmental groups warn of lasting damage to poorly understood marine ecosystems.
- Who
- Prime Minister Mark Brown and his Cook Islands Party, competing for control of the 24-seat parliament.
- What
- The Cook Islands Party likely retained control of parliament, winning 12 of 24 seats in preliminary results, the narrowest possible majority.
- When
- Preliminary results released Friday, Aug 14; delayed voting on Nassau is expected to happen Thursday local time.
- Where
- The Cook Islands, a Pacific nation of about 15,000 people across 15 islands, with the outstanding vote on the remote northern atoll of Nassau.
- Why
- Cook Islanders were electing their parliament, a result that affects the self-governing territory's relationship with New Zealand and debates over undersea mining.
Cook Islands Government
New Zealand and Environmental Groups
Foreign engagement with China
Cook Islands Government
Brown's government signed agreements with China and expanded the Cook Islands' international engagement without consulting Wellington first.
New Zealand and Environmental Groups
New Zealand was concerned over the strategic implications of Beijing's growing presence in the Pacific and halted some funding, though cooperation has since resumed.
Deep-sea mining
Cook Islands Government
Brown argues the Cook Islands' vast exclusive economic zone could contain commercially valuable deposits of polymetallic nodules worth developing.
New Zealand and Environmental Groups
Environmental groups and some Pacific leaders warn that deep-sea mining could cause lasting damage to poorly understood marine ecosystems.
- Election
- Cook Islands general election for the 24-seat parliament
- Preliminary Result
- Cook Islands Party 12 of 24 seats — narrowest possible majority
- Prime Minister
- Mark Brown (Cook Islands Party)
- Population
- About 15,000 across 15 islands
- Pending Vote
- Nassau atoll — delayed by adverse weather until Thursday local time
- New Zealand Ties
- Free association; Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens
- China Dispute
- Agreements signed without consulting Wellington; NZ halted then resumed funding after an April defence and security declaration
- Undersea Mining
- Polymetallic nodules in the Cook Islands' exclusive economic zone; environmental groups urge caution