Prime Minister of Tuvalu

Last updated

Prime Minister of Tuvalu
Ulu o te Malo o Tuvalu (Tuvaluan)
Coat of arms of Tuvalu.svg
Flag of Tuvalu (state).svg
State Flag of Tuvalu
Feleti Teo 2024.jpg
Incumbent
Feleti Teo
since 26 February 2024
Style The Right Honourable
AppointerElected by the members of the parliament
Term length While commanding the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. No term limits are imposed on the office.
Inaugural holder Toaripi Lauti
Formation1 October 1978
Salary AU$ 40,840/US$ 26,660 annually [1]

The prime minister of Tuvalu is the country's head of government. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the prime minister must always be a member of the parliament and is elected by parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of parliament can be nominated for the role.

Part V, section 62 of the Constitution of Tuvalu describes the vesting of the executive authority:

(1) The executive authority of Tuvalu is primarily vested in the Sovereign, and the Governor-General as the representative of the Sovereign.
(2) The executive authority so vested in the Sovereign shall be exercised in accordance with section 53 (performance of functions by the Head of State). [2]

Following the parliamentary vote, the governor-general of Tuvalu is responsible for swearing in as the prime minister the person who commands the confidence of a majority of members of parliament.

Part V of the Constitution establishes the executive authority of Tuvalu and confirms that while the Prime Minister is the head of government, executive power is exercised by ministerial government, with Part V, section 67 to 69 establishing the role of the cabinet. [2]

The office of prime minister was established when Tuvalu gained independence in 1978. However, the post is sometimes considered a continuation of the earlier office of chief minister, created in 1975. If the prime minister dies, as has happened on one occasion, the deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister until a new one is elected by parliament. The prime minister can lose his office by resigning, being defeated in a motion of no confidence by parliament, or losing his seat in a parliamentary election.

Part V, Section 63 of the Constitution of Tuvalu establishes the office of Prime Minister. Under section 64, the Prime Minister is elected by the members of parliament, with sections 64 to 67 describing what happens if the office of the Prime Minister becomes vacant, the removal from office of an incapacitated Prime Minister, the process for the suspension of the Prime Minister, and the effect of removal or suspension of the Prime Minister. [2]

Until the Second Toafa Ministry in 2010, the prime minister also had the role of foreign minister. Enele Sopoaga was the foreign minister in the short-lived Second Toafa Ministry. In subsequent ministries, foreign affairs was another minister's responsibility in the cabinet.

Several former prime ministers have been appointed the governor-general of Tuvalu.

Feleti Teo was appointed as prime minister on 26 February 2024, after he was elected unopposed by the parliament. [3]

List of prime ministers

Overview of Prime Ministers of Tuvalu
No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officeMinistryGovernor-GeneralMonarch
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Chief Minister of the Ellice Islands (1975–1978)
1 Insigne Tuvalum.svg Sir Toaripi Lauti
(1928–2014)
2 October 19751 October 19782 years, 364 days Lauti Ministry
1st Ministry
John Hillary Smith Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister of Tuvalu (1978–2024)
1 Insigne Tuvalum.svg Sir Toaripi Lauti
(1928–2014)
1977 1 October 19788 September 19812 years, 342 days Lauti Ministry
1st Ministry
Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo Queen Elizabeth II
2 Insigne Tuvalum.svg Tomasi Puapua
(born 1938)
1981
1985
8 September 198116 October 19898 years, 38 days First Puapua Ministry
Second Puapua Ministry
2nd Ministry
Sir Tupua Leupena
3 Bikenibeu Paeniu 2022.jpg Bikenibeu Paeniu
(born 1956)
1989
1993 (Sep)
16 October 198910 December 19934 years, 55 days First Paeniu Ministry
3rd Ministry
Sir Toaripi Lauti
Sir Tomu Sione
4 Rt Hon Sir Kamuta Latasi (cropped).jpg Sir Kamuta Latasi
(born 1936)
1993 (Nov) 10 December 199324 December 19963 years, 14 days Latasi Ministry
4th Ministry
Sir Tulaga Manuella
(3) Bikenibeu Paeniu 2022.jpg Bikenibeu Paeniu
(born 1956)
1993 (Nov)
1998
24 December 199627 April 19992 years, 124 days Second Paeniu Ministry
Third Paeniu Ministry
5th Ministry
Sir Tomasi Puapua
5 Ionatana Ionatana.jpg Ionatana Ionatana
(1938–2000)
1998 27 April 19998 December 20001 year, 225 days Ionatana Ministry
6th Ministry
Acting 1 Insigne Tuvalum.svg Lagitupu Tuilimu 8 December 200024 February 200178 days Tuilimu Ministry
6th Ministry (Cont.)
6 Faimalaga Luka 2003.jpg Faimalaga Luka
(1940–2005)
1998 24 February 200114 December 2001293 days Luka Ministry
7th Ministry
7 Insigne Tuvalum.svg Koloa Talake
(1934–2008)
1998 14 December 20012 August 2002231 days Talake Ministry
8th Ministry
8 Saufatu Sopoanga 2003 (cropped).jpg Saufatu Sopoanga
(1952–2020)
2002 2 August 200227 August 20042 years, 25 days Sopoanga Ministry
9th Ministry
Faimalaga Luka
9 Maatia Toafa.jpg Maatia Toafa
(born 1954)
2002 27 August 200414 August 20061 year, 352 days First Toafa Ministry
10th Ministry
Sir Filoimea Telito
10 Apisai Ielemia cropped.jpg Apisai Ielemia
(1955–2018)
2006 14 August 200629 September 20104 years, 46 days Ielemia Ministry
11th Ministry
Sir Kamuta Latasi
Sir Iakoba Italeli
(9) Maatia Toafa.jpg Maatia Toafa
(born 1954)
2010 29 September 201024 December 201086 days Second Toafa Ministry
12th Ministry
11 Willy Telavi.jpg Willy Telavi
(born 1954)
2010 24 December 20101 August 20132 years, 220 days Telavi Ministry
13th Ministry
12 Enele Sopoaga 2015.jpg Enele Sopoaga
(born 1956)
2010
2015
1 August 201319 September 20196 years, 49 days Sopoaga Ministry
14th Ministry
13 Kausea Natano 2023.jpg Kausea Natano
(born 1957)
2019 19 September 201926 February 20244 years, 160 days Natano Ministry
15th Ministry
Mrs. Teniku Talesi ,
Samuelu Teo
14 Feleti Teo 2024.jpg Feleti Teo
(born 1962)
2024 26 February 2024Incumbent98 days Teo Ministry
16th Ministry
Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani King Charles III

Notes

  1. ^ Tuilimu served as acting prime minister following the death of Ionatana. [4] [5]
  2. ^ Sir Iakoba Italeli resigned as Governor-General on 22 August 2019 to contest a seat in parliament in the 2019 general election. [6]
  3. ^ Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was appointed as Governor-General on 29 September 2021, during the term of prime minister Kausea Natano
  4. ^ King Charles III acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, during the term of prime minister Kausea Natano.

Related Research Articles

The politics of Tuvalu takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the monarch is the head of state, represented by the governor-general, while the prime minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maatia Toafa</span> Tuvaluan politician

Maatia Toafa OBE is a Tuvaluan politician, representing Nanumea, who served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He first served as prime minister, and foreign minister, from 2004 to 2006, from the resignation of his predecessor, Saufatu Sopoanga, until the defeat of his Cabinet in the 2006 general election. From 2004 to 2006 he also held the role of foreign minister.

Tuvalu elects a legislature on a national level. The Parliament of Tuvalu has 16 members, elected for a four-year term in 8 double-seat constituencies. Tuvalu is a de facto non-partisan democracy since it does not have political parties. The political system is based on personal alliances and loyalties derived from clan and family connections. It does tend to have both a distinct government and a distinct opposition. The 16 members of the current parliament are elected from eight two-seat constituencies via plurality block voting.

Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. Teo was appointed Chief in the House of Chiefs of Niutao in 1945 and was reappointed as a Chief on 29 June 1997 after his service as the first Governor General of Tuvalu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Tuvalu</span> Parliament

The Parliament of Tuvalu is the unicameral national legislature of Tuvalu. The place at which the parliament sits is called the Vaiaku maneapa. The maneapa on each island is an open meeting place where the chiefs and elders deliberate and make decisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apisai Ielemia</span>

Apisai Ielemia was a Tuvaluan politician. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2006 to 2010, and also held the role as Foreign Minister. He was returned as a member of parliament in the 2010 Tuvaluan general election. He was re-elected to parliament in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election. On 5 October 2016 Chief Justice Sweeney of the High Court of Tuvalu declared that Ielemia’s parliamentary seat was vacant as he was not qualified to be a member of parliament, as the consequence of the short time the opposition MP served time in jail following his conviction on 6 May 2016 in the Magistrate’s Court of charges of abuse of office during the final year of his term as prime minister. The abuse of office charges related to payments deposited into a National Bank of Tuvalu personal account. The 5 October 2016 decision of the Chief Justice was controversial as it appeared to contradict the June 2016 decision of Justice Norman Franzi of the High Court of Tuvalu that had quashed Ielemia’s conviction and acquitted him of the abuse of office charges. The appeal to the High Court held that the conviction was "manifestly unsafe," with the court quashing the 12-month jail term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willy Telavi</span> Prime Minister of Tuvalu

Willy Telavi is a Tuvaluan politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2010 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kausea Natano</span> Tuvaluan politician

Kausea Natano is a politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 19 September 2019 to 26 February 2024. He represented Funafuti as a Member of Parliament. He was first elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election and served as an MP until he was unseated in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enele Sopoaga</span> Tuvaluan politician

Enele Sosene Sopoaga PC is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.

The Cabinet of Tuvalu is the executive branch of the government of Tuvalu.

The Sopoaga Ministry was the 14th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. It succeeds the Telavi Ministry upon its swearing in by Governor-General Sir Iakoba Italeli on 5 August 2013.

The Constitution of Tuvalu states that it is “the supreme law of Tuvalu” and that “all other laws shall be interpreted and applied subject to this Constitution”; it sets out the Principles of the Bill of Rights and the Protection of the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuelu Teo</span> Tuvaluan politician

Samuelu Penitala Teo is a Tuvaluan politician. He is the son of Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978–1986) following independence from Great Britain. Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021. He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Tuvaluan general election</span>

General elections were held in Tuvalu on 9 September 2019. There were 37 candidates seeking election to the Parliament, two of whom are women: Valisi Alimau, who was contesting in the Nukufetau electorate, and Puakena Boreham who was seeking re-election in the Nui electorate.

The Natano Ministry was the 15th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Kausea Natano. It succeeded the Sopoaga Ministry upon its swearing in by the acting Governor-General, Mrs. Teniku Talesi Honolulu, on 18 September 2019.

General elections were held in Tuvalu on 26 January 2024. There are no political parties in Tuvalu and all candidates run as independents.

Events from 2024 in Tuvalu.

Panapasi Nelesoni is a Tuvaluan politician. He was previously a civil servant, including being the Secretary to the Government. He was elected to parliament to represent Nukufetau in a by-election held on 30 June 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teo Ministry</span> Cabinet of Tuvalu

The Teo Ministry is the 16th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Feleti Teo. It succeeded the Natano Ministry upon its swearing in by the Rev. Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani.

References

  1. Tuvalu. "Prescription of Salaries (Amendment) Act 2020" (PDF). tuvalu-legislation.tv.
  2. 1 2 3 "Constitution of Tuvalu" (PDF). Government of Tuvalu. October 1, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  3. Needham, Kirsty (February 26, 2024). "Taiwan ally Tuvalu names Feleti Teo as new prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  4. "Tuvalu: Year In Review 2001". Britannica. 2001. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  5. Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press.
  6. Tahana, Jamie (September 10, 2019). "Tuvalu elections: large turnover for new parliament". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved September 10, 2019.