Vanuatu - Politics

The general election of December 1991 brought in a new government, a coalition led by Maxime Carlot Korman, leader of the francophone Union of Moderate Parties (UMP). The coalition surprisingly included members of the National United Party (NUP), a party formed by former Prime Minister Father Walter Lini who had broken away from the Vanua’aku Pati (VP). From 1991 political life in Vanuatu has been characterised by coalition governments with fluctuating support and the splitting off of political parties.

The NUP itself split in mid-1993, with Lini’s group joining the opposition, alongside the VP, the Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP) and the Fren Melanesia Party (FMP). Korman maintained his majority, governing until the general election of 1995. The immediate result of the 1995 elections was a coalition government led by Serge Vohor (UMP). After two months, he was replaced by Korman. Less than eight months later, in September 1996, Korman lost a vote of no confidence and resigned after members of his coalition government were criticised by the national ombudsman in her report on the uncovering of a massive bank fraud. Vohor once again became prime minister.

Divisions within the government over implementation of the Asian Development Bank-funded economic reforms led to its defeat in November 1997 and to the dissolution of parliament. On 12 January 1998 a state of emergency was declared following rioting in Port Vila, which broke out as 500 people attempted to withdraw their investments in the National Provident Fund, following allegations that politicians had misused the Fund.

There was an early general election in March 1998, when a record 220 candidates contested 52 seats (increased from 50 since the previous elections in 1995). The VP won 18 seats, the UMP 12, the NUP 11 and other parties 11; no party had an overall majority. However, after 12 days of negotiations Donald Kalpokas (VP) and Lini (NUP) formed a coalition government. Kalpokas was elected prime minister, with the support of 35 members of parliament; he appointed Lini as deputy prime minister.

In October 1998, Kalpokas dismissed Lini, excluding the NUP from the coalition, and formed new alliances with the UMP and the John Frum Movement (JFM). Vanuatu’s leader at independence and first prime minister (1980–91), Father Walter Lini, died at the age of 57 in February 1999.

During August 1999 opposition parties won three of the four by-elections to be held, giving them control of 26 of the 52 parliamentary seats, and putting them in a strong position to defeat the government, which finally occurred in November 1999 after two government members defected to the opposition and Barak Sope (MPP) was elected prime minister by 28 votes to 24. However, the new government was soon involved in political controversy and its authority was undermined by leaks of cabinet documents to the press.

In April 2001, after nine members of the ruling coalition defected to the opposition, Sope lost a no-confidence vote, and VP leader Edward Natapei became prime minister and immediately announced there would be an inquiry into the previous government’s controversial deal with a Thai businessman.

The May 2002 general election saw the coalition partners comfortably returned to power, the UMP with 15 seats and the VP with 14, and Willie Jimmy’s NUP with eight. Despite their coalition agreement the victorious partners put Natapei forward to be prime minister, with Vohor – whose UMP had won the most seats – his deputy. During 2003, relations between the NUP and the government improved, but despite some discussion on its joining the coalition, the NUP continued in opposition.

During 2004 the presidency changed hands several times before an early general election in July 2004. Though the UMP (15 seats) emerged from the election with the most parliamentary seats, it appeared that the ruling VP (14 seats) – in coalition with NUP (eight seats) – would be able to form a new government. However, when the parliament convened, some VP members crossed the floor and Serge Vohor of the UMP was elected prime minister. Then in the fourth round of the subsequent presidential election, Kalkot Mataskelekele emerged as president. The general election was observed by a joint Pacific Islands Forum/Commonwealth observer mission. In December 2004 a confidence vote went against Vohor and Ham Lini, NUP leader and brother of Walter Lini, was elected as prime minister.

In the general election of September 2008 the VP won 11 of 52 seats and NUP eight. These two parties agreed to work together and VP leader Edward Natapei was elected by 28 MPs as prime minister. He was opposed by Maxime Carlot Korman (the candidate of the Vanuatu Republican Party) who received 24 votes.

At the end of President Mataskelekele’s term, in August 2009, Korman, the speaker of parliament, became acting president. Presidential elections were held by parliament in September 2009 and Iolu Johnson Abbil was elected in the third round.