Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a parliamentary system in which elections are held regularly, but the polls have often been marred by irregularities and violence. Party allegiances are unstable, and only two governments have survived for a full term since independence in 1975. Over the past two decades, a boom in mineral resources extraction has helped successive incumbent governments to consolidate more control. The judiciary retains significant independence, and the media are mostly free to criticize the government. Corruption remains a serious problem.

• Sessions of parliament were dominated by the opposition maneuvering to oust Prime Minister James Marape’s government, and government efforts to block such a challenge. In September Marape survived a no-confidence challenge, with 75 lawmakers voting in favor of retaining him and 32 voting against. No-confidence votes are frequent in the country, often taking place after an 18-month “grace period” following general elections expires.
• Local elections were delayed from July to September, and then delayed again until April 2025. Authorities said the delay to 2025 was necessary because there were not enough civil servants to hold polls and the long-delayed national census concurrently. The census began in June.
• The fifth draft of a proposed media law was released in July. The draft included provisions allowing authorities to investigate complaints against outlets, issue guidelines for ethical reporting, and sanction journalists deemed to violate professional standards. The document drew condemnation from Papua New Guinean journalists and local and regional press freedom groups.
• Instances of serious tribal violence took place during the year. In February, more than 70 people were reportedly killed in tribal fighting in Enga Province. In July, 26 people were reportedly killed in clashes in Angoram, East Sepik Province. Separately, Marape declared a two-week state of emergency in Port Moresby in January, in response to violent protests that started after police and other public servants walked off the job in response to unexpected pay cuts. At least 16 people were reportedly killed amid the unrest.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.