Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, 6 October 2025
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) today welcomed the Parliament of Naoero as its 184th Member Parliament, represented by Speaker Marcus Stephen at the 153rd IPU Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Pacific island is one of the smallest countries in the world, with a population of 12,000 people, who are represented by 19 directly elected Members of Parliament (MPs).
Formerly known as Nauru, in May 2026, Parliament approved a constitutional amendment to restore its traditional name of Naoero.
Women hold two of the Parliament’s seats, accounting for just over 10% of the total. The lawmakers are relatively young, with an average age of 46 years old.
The IPU has already worked with the Parliament of Naoero, notably as part of a programme on parliamentary development in partnership with UNDP.
Naoero’s affiliation brings the IPU one step closer to its goal of universal membership, with 184 of the world’s 189 functioning national parliaments now represented in the Organization.
Naoero’s membership is expected to strengthen the voices and priorities of small island States and the Pacific within the IPU.
The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 184 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener and more gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.
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