Micronesia, Federated States of - Rise to power



Falcam has been active in politics since the negotiations that led to the establishment of FSM. He represented Pohnpei in the constitutional conventions of the 1970s and became the district administrator of that state. From 1983 to 1984, he served as the first liaison officer for FSM in the United States. He worked in various capacities for the government in the areas of: mail service, banking, and agriculture and trade. In 1987, Falcam was elected to a four-year term in Congress from the open electorate of Pohnpei. He continued to operate in the political world of FSM to varying degrees during the 6th through the 11th Congresses.

Under the FSM Constitution, former president Jacob Nena had to stand for election as Kosrae's four-year senator in 1999 in order to be a candidate for reelection as president. The former president won his At-Large senatorial seat, with hopes of retaining the FSM presidency. The Pohnpei seat that Falcam won, was the only place where the incumbent lost the race. Resio Moses, Falcam's running mate, was charged with broadcasting his campaign speech on a local radio station during the elections without permission from the National Election Commissioner (NEC). Falcam won the Pohnpei At-Large congressional seat with twice the votes of his opponent.

Falcam went on to win the presidency against Nena, and was inaugurated the fifth president of FSM on 21 July 1999. Elections were held on 4 March 2003, and Falcam was defeated in his home state of Pohnpei. He was to remain in office until the new Congress convened to choose a president on 11 May 2003.

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