Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele was removed from office on Thursday after losing a parliamentary no-confidence vote 22 to 26, ending months of political deadlock that began in March when mass cabinet resignations and coalition defections left his government paralysed. Parliament has been adjourned to allow the governor-general to arrange the election of a new prime minister, with former foreign minister Peter Shanel Agovaka emerging as the frontrunner after resigning from cabinet and accusing Manele of weak leadership and a lack of financial transparency. The change of leadership in the strategically positioned archipelago (a South Pacific island nation about 2,000 km east of Australia with close ties to Beijing) is being closely watched by Western diplomats, with analysts warning that Manele's successor could prove even more aligned with China, complicating Australia's efforts to counter Beijing's growing security influence in the region.