11 Jun 2013

Baron Waqa elected Nauru president

5:01 pm on 11 June 2013

Nauru has a new president, Baron Waqa.

The veteran MP and a former government minister was elected by Nauru's new parliament at its first sitting today.

A former finance minister Roland Kun was also nominated for the presidency but Mr Waqa won the vote 13 to five.

Mr Waqa first entered parliament in 2003.

A former president and speaker in the last parliament, Ludwig Scotty, was re-elected speaker and a new MP Ranin Akua was elected unopposed to be deputy speaker.