GOVERNMENT
The constitution
created a republican political system headed by a president who
has primarily ceremonial powers and is elected by a two-thirds
majority in an electoral college consisting of members of Parliament
and the presidents of Regional Councils. The president serves
a 5-year term. The president may be removed by the electoral college
for gross misconduct or incapacity. The prime minister, who is
the head of government, is elected by a majority vote of a three-fourths
quorum of the Parliament. The prime minister in turn appoints
the Council of Ministers, whose number may not exceed one-fourth
of the number of parliamentary representatives. The prime minister
and the Council of Ministers constitute the executive government.
Parliament
is a 52-member unicameral house elected by all persons over 18
years old. Parliament normally sits for a 4-year term unless dissolved
by majority vote of a three-fourths quorum or a directive from
the president on the advice of the prime minister. The national
Council of Chiefs, called the Malvatu Mauri and elected by district
councils of chiefs, advises the government on all matters concerning
ni-Vanuatu culture and language.
The
Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and up to three other
judges. Two or more members of this court may constitute a Court
of Appeal. Magistrate courts handle most routine legal matters.
The legal system is based on British law. The constitution also
provides for the establishment of village or island courts presided
over by chiefs to deal with questions of customary law.
POLITICAL
CONDITIONS
Government and society in Vanuatu tend to divide along linguistic--French and English--lines. Historically, English-speaking politicians such as Walter Lini and other leaders of the Vanua'aku Pati favored early independence, whereas French-speaking political leaders favored continuing association with the colonial administrators, particularly France.
On the eve of independence in 1980, Jimmy Stevens' Nagriamel movement, in alliance with private French interests and backed by American libertarians hoping to establish a tax-free haven, declared the island of Espiritu Santo independent of the new government. Following independence, Vanuatu requested assistance from Papua New Guinea, whose forces restored order on Santo. From then until 1991, the Vanua'aku Pati and its predominantly English-speaking leadership controlled the Vanuatu Government, and Walter Lini became widely considered as the nation's founding father.
In December 1991, and following a split in the Vanua'aku Pati, Maxime Carlot Korman, leader of the Francophone Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), was elected Vanuatu's first Francophone prime minister. He formed a coalition government with Walter Lini's breakaway VP faction, now named the National United Party (NUP). From 1995-2004 government leadership changed frequently thanks to unstable coalitions within the Parliament and within the major parties.
The
president dissolved Parliament in May 2004 to forestall a vote
of no confidence and called a special election that resulted in
losses for most major parties. Serge Vohor returned as Prime Minister
at the head of an unwieldy coalition government. Following controversy
over Vohor's attempt to extend diplomatic relations to Taiwan,
he was ousted by a vote of no confidence in December 2004 and
replaced by Ham Lini. The new coalition includes ten parties and
features the former opposition leader, Sato Kilman, as Deputy
Prime Minister/Foreign Minister.
Elections were held on September 2, 2008, and a seven-party coalition elected Edward Natapei as Prime Minister with the former Prime Minister, Ham Lini, as Deputy Prime Minister.
Principal
Government Officials
President--Kalkot Matas Kelekele
Prime Minister--Edward Natapei
Foreign Minister--Pakoa Kaltonga
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in Washington. Its mission to
the United Nations is located at 866 UN Plaza, 4th Floor, Room
41, First Avenue and 48th Street, New York, NY 10017. Vanuatu
Maritime Services, which provides information on ship registration
in Vanuatu, is located at 120 Broadway, Suite 1743, New York,
NY 10271.
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Independence: July 30, 1980.
Constitution: July 30, 1980.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state),
prime minister (head of government). Legislative--unicameral (52-member
parliament). Judicial--Supreme Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 6 administrative
districts.
Political parties: Vanua'aku Pati, Union of Moderate
Parties, Melanesian Progressive Party, National United Party,
People's Democratic Party, John Frum.
Suffrage: Universal over 18.
National holiday: July 30.
Flag: A yellow Y with a black border horizontally
divides the flag into three parts. The open end is closest to
the staff. Above this division is red, below is forest green.
The triangle remaining is black with a yellow pig tusk curved
around crossed palm fronds.
