The Cook Islands caretaker government boosted its numbers today following the swearing in of another three MPs.
The Cook Islands Parliament in session Photo: Phillipa Webb / Cook Islands News
Independent candidates who recently won their seats, Rose Toki Brown, Robert Tapaitau and One Cook Islands candidate George Maggie have opted to join the Cook Islands Party caretaker government, giving it the narrowest possible majority in the 24 seat parliament.
The moved by the three MPs will come as a blow to the Democratic Party which won 11 seats in last month's election, to the Cook Islands Party's 10.
Political observers said the Democratic Party failed because it was too focussed on internal leadership issues, with at least three winning candidates vying for the top job, rather than concentrating on forming a coalition.