No-confidence vote looms for Papua New Guinea leader Marape

FILE PHOTO: Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape speaks during a Resources and Energy Investment conference in Sydney, Australia, December 11, 2023.REUTERS/Kirsty Needham/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape is likely to face a no-confidence motion in parliament after the opposition party nominated Rainbo Paita, who defected from Marape's cabinet days earlier, as alternate prime minister.

Paita, the finance minister, was among several ministers to defect in a group of 18 from Marape's Pangu Party.