Nauru Government

The government of Nauru operates as a non-partisan democracy under a parliamentary republic system. Officially known as the Republic of Nauru, the island nation has a long history of colonialism. The country gained its political independence in 1968 under the leadership of Hammer DeRoburt who was its founding and first president and served for a lengthy time period from 1968 to 1976.

Both the President as well as the legislature are elected by the people of Nauru and serve for terms of three years. Parliament is made up of nineteen members who are elected using the Dowdall System. This complex voting system involves eligible voters ranking their candidates in order of preference.

Nauru’s house of parliament is located in the city of Yaren. It is here where the President conducts his or her responsibilities as head of state, chairman of the cabinet, and minister in charge of the nation’s home affairs, police, emergency, public services, and climate change. The official residence of the President of Nauru is the State House which is located in the Anetan District, in a structure which was previously used as a detention center for Australian detainees.

Current political parties in the nation include the Nauru First Party, Democratic Party of Nauru, and Centre Party.