| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
22 January 2016 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
Early elections in 2016 returned a more fragmented Parliament than the previous legislature. A record 17 parties (up from 16 in 2012) and eight independent candidates (up from four) were elected to the 52-member Parliament. Only 16 outgoing members were returned to parliament.
Three parties emerged as the largest forces, winning six seats each: The Union of Moderate Parties (UMP, led former Foreign Minister Serge Vohor), former Prime Minister Joe Natuman's Vanua'aku Paty (VP) and former Lands Minister Ralph Regenvanu's Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati, GJP). Eight parties won only one seat, including the People's Progress Party (PPP) of caretaker prime minister Sato Kilman.
On 3 February, Mr. Regenvanu announced that 11 parties comprising 36 members (see note) agreed to form a new government. These parties pledged to work for political reform and to reduce political instability and corruption in the country. On 11 February, their nominee, Mr Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas of the Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC) was elected unopposed as the new Prime Minister. He subsequently formed a 12-member Cabinet with representatives from 11 parties.
The 2016 elections followed the conviction of 14 parliamentarians for bribery by the Supreme Court in October 2015. Speaker Marcellino Pipite then used executive power to issue pardons for the 14 MPs while President Baldwin Lonsdale (independent) was abroad. On 16 October, the President revoked the pardons.
On 24 November, the President dissolved Parliament for early elections, citing the inability of the Prime Minister and opposition to form a government of national unity. Opposition members submitted an urgent application to the Supreme Court to challenge the dissolution. On 16 December, the Supreme Court ruled that the President's action was legal, paving the way for early elections to be held on 22 January 2016.
Note:
The 11 parties are the UMP, the VP, the GJP, the National Unity Party (NUP), Nagriamel Party (NAG), the Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC), the Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC), the Vanuatu National Development Party (VNDP), the Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), the Friend Melanesian Party (FMP) and the Leaders Group (comprising the Leaders Party for Vanuatu, LPV, and an independent member).
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Date of previous elections: 30 October 2012
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 24 November 2015
Timing of election: Early elections
Expected date of next elections: January 2020
Number of seats at stake: 52 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 183 (174 men, 9 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 4.9%
Number of parties contesting the election: 28
Number of parties winning seats: 17
Alternation of power: Yes
Number of parties in government: 11
Names of parties in government: The Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Vanua'aku Paty (VP), Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati, GJP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nagriamel Party (NAG), the Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC), Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC), Vanuatu National Development Party (VNDP), Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Friend Melanesian Party (FMP); and Leaders Group (comprising the Leaders Party for Vanuatu, LPV, and an independent member).
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 11 February 2016
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Esmon Saimon (Vanua'aku Paty, VP) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 22 January 2016 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
200'159
113'486 (56.7%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% of votes |
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanua'aku Paty (VP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati, GJP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| National Unity Party (NUP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Iauko Group (IG) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nagriamel Party (NAG) |
|
|
|
|
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|
|
| Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu National Development Party (VNDP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Natatok Party (NATATOK) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| People's Progress Party (PPP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Peoples' Service Party (PSP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Vanuatu Presidential Party (VPP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Friend Melanesian Party (FMP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Vanuatu Labour Party (VLP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Leaders Party for Vanuatu (LPV) |
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| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total of seats
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
8
|
|
|
|
|
| Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanua'aku Paty (VP) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati, GJP) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| National Unity Party (NUP) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Iauko Group (IG) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Nagriamel Party (NAG) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu National Development Party (VNDP) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Natatok Party (NATATOK) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Progress Party (PPP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Peoples' Service Party (PSP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu Presidential Party (VPP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Friend Melanesian Party (FMP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Vanuatu Labour Party (VLP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Leaders Party for Vanuatu (LPV) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
52
0
0.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Parliament (29.01.2016, 01.02.2016, 07.02.2016)
Official Gazette, 1 February 2016
http://dailypost.vu
http://www.pacwip.org |
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