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| Voting starts in Nauru's election | Voting starts in Nauru's election |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Elections aimed at ending months of political paralysis are under way in the tiny South Pacific island of Nauru. | |
| The snap poll was called by President Marcus Stephen amid intractable divisions in the 18-member parliament. | The snap poll was called by President Marcus Stephen amid intractable divisions in the 18-member parliament. |
| The government has the support of nine MPs, as does the opposition, leaving a stalemate and stalled decision-making. | The government has the support of nine MPs, as does the opposition, leaving a stalemate and stalled decision-making. |
| Phosphate mining once made Nauru, the world's smallest republic, one of the richest places on earth, but it is now labouring under a mountain of debt. | Phosphate mining once made Nauru, the world's smallest republic, one of the richest places on earth, but it is now labouring under a mountain of debt. |
| Sixty-five candidates are standing in the weekend's election and it could take several days before a new government emerges. | Sixty-five candidates are standing in the weekend's election and it could take several days before a new government emerges. |
| The BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney says several months of political deadlock have stalled vital decisions on Nauru's budget and investment projects, while public servants' wages have also gone unpaid. | The BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney says several months of political deadlock have stalled vital decisions on Nauru's budget and investment projects, while public servants' wages have also gone unpaid. |
| Bad luck and government mismanagement have brought tough times for Nauru's population of 13,000, says our correspondent. | Bad luck and government mismanagement have brought tough times for Nauru's population of 13,000, says our correspondent. |
| The country's debts are now approaching $1bn (£0.5bn). | The country's debts are now approaching $1bn (£0.5bn). |
| Australia recently closed an off-shore camp for asylum seekers, which had generated millions of dollars for the Nauruan government. | Australia recently closed an off-shore camp for asylum seekers, which had generated millions of dollars for the Nauruan government. |
| Now, though, phosphate exports have resumed, and President Stephen, a former Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion, is hoping voters will give him a clear mandate to govern, ending the political stalemate. | Now, though, phosphate exports have resumed, and President Stephen, a former Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion, is hoping voters will give him a clear mandate to govern, ending the political stalemate. |