2011–12 Papua New Guinean constitutional crisis

The 2011–2012 Papua New Guinean constitutional crisis was a dispute that started from January 2011 in Papua New Guinea between Peter O'Neill and Sir Michael Somare over who was legally Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. It ended after the general election that was held from 23 June to about 13 July 2012.

Although the crisis was concentrated on a few days in mid-December, and resulted in the de facto retention of Peter O'Neill's power, it continued to have repercussions, as Somare did not admit defeat. Thus, on 26 January, it led to a brief mutiny in the armed forces of the country.

The crisis ended at the end of July 2012, following the the 2012 General Election which gave O'Neill a clear advantage. Admitting defeat, Somare, to the surprise of some, supported O'Neill for the post of Prime Minister; the two announcing that they would form a coalition government.

The Papua New Guinea is a multiparty democracy and a member of the Commonwealth. It is a fully sovereign state, whose Constitution recognises Queen Elizabeth II as a monarch, delegating her functions to a mostly symbolic Governor-General elected by the Parliament, which is itself elected by the public at General Elections. Similar to the Westminster system, the Prime Minister is a member of the National Parliament elected by the party's members, governing as long as it has the confidence of a majority in the Parliament.

Article 142(2) of the Constitution provides that the Prime Minister is appointed "by the Head of State, acting in accordance with a decision of the Parliament." Constitutionally, the powers of the head of state are to the Queen, but in her absence they are exercised by the Governor-General.

By mid-2011, Somare had spent months in a hospital in Singapore, with Sam Abal as acting Prime Minister in Papua New Guinea. The majority of members of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea decided in August 2011 to rescind their confidence in Somare in his absence and instead put it behind O'Neill. The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Ogio, then, on 2 August and according to constitutional convention, appointed O'Neil as Prime Minister. However, upon Somare's return, he challenged the dismissal in the country's supreme court, which ruled in December 2011 that Somare's removal from the role of Prime Minister in August had been unlawful and ordered and directed that he be reinstated. The Governor-General did not immediately comply, stating he "could not understand the court judgment", and O'Neill refused to relinquish the position and remained supported by most members of Parliament.

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