Prime Minister of Vanuatu

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Prime Minister of Vanuatu
Praem Minista blong Vanuatu (Bislama)
Premier Ministre de Vanuatu (French)
Coat of arms of Vanuatu.svg
Coat of arms of Vanuatu
Charlot Salwai, ITU Telecom World 2016 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Charlot Salwai
since 6 October 2023
Term length for as long as the Prime Minister has the confidence of Parliament
Constituting instrument Constitution of Vanuatu
Formation30 July 1980
First holder Walter Lini
Salary Vt 67,846 weekly (32,295 USD annually) [1]
Website https://ogcio.gov.vu/

The prime minister of Vanuatu is the head of government of the Republic of Vanuatu.

Contents

The office of prime minister was created under the Constitution of Vanuatu upon the country's independence in 1980, with independence campaigner Walter Lini becoming the first office-holder. The position is sometimes seen as a continuation of the older office of Chief Minister, which existed before Vanuatu obtained its independence. According to the Constitution, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament, of which s/he must be a member. The prime minister directly appoints or dismisses members of the Council of Ministers (cabinet ministers).

So far 13 men have served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu, some on multiple occasions.

The current prime minister is Charlot Salwai from Reunification Movement for Change, since 6 October 2023.

Disputes

In November 2009, Prime Minister Edward Natapei was briefly declared by the Speaker to have lost his seat over a procedural technicality. The courts invalidated the ruling, and Natapei regained his seat, and thus the premiership. [2] [3]

Serge Vohor's fourth term in office, from April to May 2011, is included in the list below, although his election to the premiership was voided as unconstitutional by the Court of Appeal on 13 May, on the grounds that he had been elected only by a majority of members of Parliament (26 out of 52)[ clarification needed ], not by an absolute majority. Ralph Regenvanu, who regained his position as Minister for Justice after the annulment of Vohor's premiership, stated: "Prime Minister Serge Vohor and his cabinet are illegal, null and void and were never the government of the country." [4]

Similarly, Sato Kilman's term is included although it was also voided, by a ruling from Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek on 16 June 2011, finding that Kilman's election in December 2010 had not been in conformity with the requirements for a secret parliamentary ballot set out in article 41 of the Constitution. Thus, following Edward Natapei's ousting in a valid motion of no confidence in December 2010, Vanuatu had no lawfully constituted government until Natapei was restored in June with instructions from the court to convene Parliament for the election of a prime minister. [5] [6] This was done on 26 June, resulting in Sato Kilman's election to the premiership by Parliament – his first legally recognised term as prime minister. [7]

List of prime ministers

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)		Term of officePolitical partyElectedGovernment
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Walter Lini profile 1983 (cropped).jpg Walter Lini
(1942–1999)		30 July 19806 September 199111 years, 38 days Vanua'aku Pati 1983
1987 		Lini I–II–III
– Donald-kalpokas-profile.jpg Donald Kalpokas
(1943–2019)
Acting		6 September 199116 December 1991101 days Vanua'aku Pati – Lini III
2 No image.svg Maxime Carlot Korman
(born 1941)		16 December 199121 December 19954 years, 5 days Union of Moderate Parties 1991 Korman I
3 Rialuth Serge Vohor (Imagicity 1307) (cropped).jpg Serge Vohor
(1955–2024)		21 December 199523 February 1996
(Vote of no confidence)		64 days Union of Moderate Parties 1995 Vohor I
(2) No image.svg Maxime Carlot Korman
(born 1941)		23 February 199630 September 1996
(Vote of no confidence)		220 days Union of Moderate Parties — Korman II
(3) Rialuth Serge Vohor (Imagicity 1307) (cropped).jpg Serge Vohor
(1955–2024)		30 September 199630 March 19981 year, 181 days Union of Moderate Parties — Vohor II
4 Donald-kalpokas-profile.jpg Donald Kalpokas
(1943–2019)		30 March 199825 November 19991 year, 240 days Vanua'aku Pati 1998 Kalpokas
5 Barak Sope 2000.jpg Barak Sopé
(born 1955)		25 November 199913 April 2001
(Resigned)		1 year, 139 days Melanesian Progressive Party — Sopé
6 Edward Natapei 2009.jpg Edward Natapei
(1954–2015)		13 April 200129 July 20043 years, 107 days Vanua'aku Pati 2002 Natapei I–II
(3) Rialuth Serge Vohor (Imagicity 1307) (cropped).jpg Serge Vohor
(1955–2024)		29 July 200411 December 2004
(Vote of no confidence)		135 days Union of Moderate Parties 2004 Vohor III
7 Ham Lini.jpg Ham Lini
(born 1951)		11 December 200422 September 20083 years, 286 days National United Party — Lini
(6) Edward Natapei 2009.jpg Edward Natapei
(1954–2015)		22 September 200827 November 2009
(Removed)		1 year, 66 days Vanua'aku Pati 2008 Natapei III
– Rialuth Serge Vohor (Imagicity 1307) (cropped).jpg Serge Vohor
(1955–2024)
Acting		27 November 20095 December 20098 days Union of Moderate Parties — Natapei III
(6) Edward Natapei 2009.jpg Edward Natapei
(1954–2015)		5 December 2009
(Reinstated)		2 December 2010
(Vote of no confidence)		362 days Vanua'aku Pati — Natapei III
8 Sato Kilman (cropped).jpg Sato Kilman
(born 1957)		2 December 201024 April 2011
(Vote of no confidence)		143 days People's Progressive Party — Kilman I
(3) Rialuth Serge Vohor (Imagicity 1307) (cropped).jpg Serge Vohor
(1955–2024)		24 April 201113 May 2011
(Removed)		19 days Union of Moderate Parties — Vohor IV
(8) Sato Kilman (cropped).jpg Sato Kilman
(born 1957)		13 May 201116 June 2011
(Removed)		34 days People's Progressive Party — Kilman II
– Edward Natapei 2009.jpg Edward Natapei
(1954–2015)
Acting		16 June 201126 June 201110 days Vanua'aku Pati — Interim
(8) Sato Kilman (cropped).jpg Sato Kilman
(born 1957)		26 June 2011
(Reinstated)		23 March 2013
(Resigned)		1 year, 270 days People's Progressive Party 2012 Kilman III–IV
9 Moana Carcasses Kalosil 2013 (cropped).jpg Moana Carcasses Kalosil
(born 1963)		23 March 201315 May 2014
(Vote of no confidence)		1 year, 53 days Green Confederation — Carcasses
10 Joe Natuman 2014 (cropped).jpg Joe Natuman
(born 1952)		15 May 201411 June 2015
(Vote of no confidence)		1 year, 27 days Vanua'aku Pati — Natuman
(8) Sato Kilman (cropped).jpg Sato Kilman
(born 1957)		11 June 201511 February 2016245 days People's Progressive Party — Kilman V
11 Charlot Salwai, ITU Telecom World 2016 (cropped).jpg Charlot Salwai
(born 1963)		11 February 201620 April 20204 years, 69 days Reunification Movement for Change 2016 Salwai
12 Bob Loughman (cropped).jpg Bob Loughman
(born 1961)		20 April 20204 November 20222 years, 198 days Vanua'aku Pati 2020 Loughman
13 Ishmael Alatoi Kalsakau opposition (profile).png Ishmael Kalsakau
(born 19??)		4 November 20224 September 2023304 days Union of Moderate Parties 2022 Kalsakau
(8) Sato Kilman (cropped).jpg Sato Kilman
(born 1957)		4 September 20236 October 202332 days People's Progressive Party — Kilman VI
(11) Charlot Salwai, ITU Telecom World 2016 (cropped).jpg Charlot Salwai
(born 1963)		6 October 2023Incumbent1 year, 75 days Reunification Movement for Change — Salwai II

Timeline

Ishmael KalsakauBob LoughmanCharlot SalwaiJoe NatumanMoana Carcasses KalosilSato KilmanHam Lin̄iEdward NatapeiBarak SopéSerge VohorMaxime Carlot KormanDonald KalpokasWalter Lin̄iPrime Minister of Vanuatu

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Official Salaries not something to keep mum about - News - dailypost.vu". 1 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Natapei retains seat: CJ rules", Vanuatu Daily Post, 7 December 2009[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ "PM Natapei defeats motion with 36 MPs", Vanuatu Daily Post, 11 December 2009[ dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Vanuatu Court decision results in change of government", ABC Radio Australia, 13 May 2011
  5. ↑ "Vanuatu Court rules Kilman election void, reinstates Natapei as interim PM". Radio New Zealand International . 16 June 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Supreme Declared Natapei, Acting Prime Minister", Government of Vanuatu, 16 June 2011 Archived 28 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Kilman elected Vanuatu PM - ten days after ouster by court". Radio New Zealand International . 27 June 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
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