Honiara: The initial trends of counting of votes for the high-stake Parliamentary elections in Solomon Islands, that took place last week, is indicating that independents will play a crucial role in forming the government.

Incumbent Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare's OUR party needs at least 26 seats to win the race in the 50-member House.

Meanwhile, Sogavare's OUR party has claimed 12 seats whereas the CARE coalition of opposition parties have secured 13 seats. New agency Reuters reported that two independents had also joined CARE on Monday.

The CARE alliance was confident of winning one more seat, anticipating its seat tall in the House at 16.

The national election was the first since Sogavare signed a security pact with China in 2022, inviting Chinese police into the archipelago and drawing the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing.

Due to the potential impact of the high-stake election on regional security, it is being monitored by China, the US and neighbouring Australia.

The CARE coalition comprises several parties including Matthew Wale's SIDP, U4C and former prime minister Rick Hou's Democratic Alliance Party.

Peter Kenilorea Jr's United, another prominent opposition party in the country, has clenched seven seats. It had announced that it would scrap the China security pact.

Independent candidates and micro parties hold 16 seats.