Kiribati's new Speaker of Parliament, Tangariki Reete Photo: supplied
The Kiribati Parliament has made history today with MPs voting in the country's first female Speaker of Parliament, former Opposition member Tangariki Reete.
Ms Reete won the vote by 25-19 with the TKP party of caretaker President Taneti Maamau supporting former House Speaker, Tebuai Uaai, for another term.
Ms Reete is a former Minister of Women, Youth and Social Affairs and had entered politics in 2008, in the footsteps of her father.
She narrowly missed out on the Betio seat in the latest elections.
In Kiribati the Speaker of the House does not need to be a Member of Parliament.
All 44 MPs took their oaths today in Tarawa, with indications of an even number of MPs on each side of the House this morning.
MPs are finalising nominations for the Presidential vote today.
A vote on the top position will happen on 22 June.