PORT MORESBY, Feb 15, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Papua New Guinea's James Marape faced down attempts to oust him as prime minister Thursday, surprising rivals by calling, and winning, a snap vote of confidence amid raucous scenes in parliament.

Lawmakers shouted, screamed and shook their fists as Marape pre-empted a vote of no confidence, scheduled for next week, with a vote of his own which he won 84-0 amid an opposition walkout.

Marape's tenure has been defined by developing deeper security ties with the United States and Australia -- but he has come under fire in the wake of deadly riots that swept major cities in January.

Twenty-five people were killed, many shops were pillaged and buildings were set ablaze, in violence sparked by police officers' anger about pay.

Lawmaker Allan Bird has launched a bid to replace Marape, saying "the way we are going, can anyone honestly say that the future is looking bright?"
His vote of no confidence is still planned to go ahead next week, but his political momentum may have been severely, perhaps fatally, dented by Thursday's defeat.

Marape's Pangu Party-led coalition currently holds a sizeable majority in parliament.

But Papua New Guinea's politics are highly fluid, with regional and individual interests often trumping party politics and loyalties.