Nauru president is out; athlete elected

Ludwig Scotty, who had been in power since 2004, was toppled in a rebellion by legislators, Radio New Zealand International quoted Nauru’s consul-general to Australia, Martin Hunt, as saying.

Marcus Stephen, a former weightlifter who won seven Commonwealth Games gold medals, was elected as the new president, Radio Australia reported.

Rebel legislators in the 18-seat parliament were angered that Scotty failed to act over allegations of corruption against Finance Minister David Adeang.

Adeang, who has denied the allegations, had been credited with spearheading economic reforms in the country of just 13,000 people, which has slipped from having one of the highest per capita incomes in the world into poverty.

The island’s former wealth was built on phosphate mining. but the deposits of phosphate have been depleted and large-scale mining ended.

Funds kept in trust were squandered and Nauru, the world’s smallest island nation, is now dependent on foreign aid.

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