A newly elected woman MP in Tuvalu may immediately be offered a cabinet portfolio.
Pelenike Isaia is the widow of former fisheries minister Isaia Italeli who died last month while in Samoa for regional fisheries meeting..
She defeated the only other candidate in the by-election for his Nui island seat.
A spokesperson for the government, Panapasi Nelesoni, says the new MP is expected to back the administration of the prime minister, Willy Telavi.
"It looks like most likely she'll be supporting the government and she be hopefully in the capital this week. And after meeting government and whatever decision we may arrange for her to take an oath, most probably as a minister."
