Judges are appointed by the President of the republic, on the advice of the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition (in respect of the chief justice) and of the Judicial Service Commission (other judges). Government and politics Last elections: 30 October 2012 Next elections: 2016 Head of State: President Iolu Johnson Abbil Head of Government: Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil From 1991 political life in Vanuatu has been characterised by coalition governments with fluctuating support and the splitting off of political parties. The May 2002 general election saw coalition partners Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) and Vanua’aku Pati (VP) comfortably returned to power, the UMP with 15 seats and the VP with 14, while Willie Jimmy’s National United Party (NUP) took eight. The victorious partners put VP leader Edward Natapei forward to be Prime Minister, with Serge 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. In the fourth round of the subsequent presidential election, Kalkot Mataskelekele emerged as President. In December 2004 a no-confidence vote went against Vohor, and Ham Lini, NUP leader and brother of former Prime Minister Father Walter Lini, was elected 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 Prime Minister – with the support of 28 MPs. 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 Va n u a t u September 2009 and Iolu Johnson Abbil was elected in the third round. In December 2010, while he was travelling to the UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico, Prime Minister Natapei lost a parliamentary no-confidence vote (15–30), and the leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and of the opposition Alliance bloc in parliament, Sato Kilman, was sworn in as Prime Minister. On 24 April 2011, following a parliamentary no-confidence vote against Kilman and his cabinet, Serge Vohor of the UMP was elected Prime Minister by parliament. Then on 13 May 2011, when the Court of Appeal ruled that Vohor’s election was unconstitutional, Kilman was restored to office. On 16 June 2011, after the Supreme Court had ruled that Kilman’s election in December 2010 had also been unlawful, Natapei was appointed to lead a caretaker administration until a fresh parliamentary vote was held on 26 June 2011, when Kilman defeated Vohor (29:23) and resumed as Prime Minister. On 19 November 2012, in the parliamentary vote that followed the general election of 30 October, Kilman defeated Natapei (29–23); to be re-elected Prime Minister at the head of a new coalition government. Although Natapei’s VP had won eight seats in the election and Kilman’s PPP six, Kilman secured the support of the majority of the members of the new parliament, who represented a total of 16 parties as well as a number of independents, and included no women. Facing a motion of no confidence in parliament, Prime Minister Kilman resigned on 21 March 2013 and Moana Carcasses Kalosil was elected unopposed by 34 members of parliament to succeed him on 23 March. Local government Ministry: Home Affairs Local government is provided for by the Decentralisation and Local Government Regions Act 1994, and local government and decentralisation are enshrined in the constitution. The Department of Local Authorities in the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for local government, which comprises six provincial councils and three municipal councils. Local elections are held every four years. The local authorities have revenue-raising powers, as well as receiving transfers from national government. They are responsible for regional planning, primary health care, preschool and primary education, refuse collection and disposal, cemeteries and crematoria, roads, tourism promotion and leisure facilities. National development plan The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management published the Priorities and Action Agenda for Vanuatu Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 309 Governance institutions Parliament of Vanuatu: www.parliament.gov.vu Reserve Bank of Vanuatu: www.rbv.gov.vu Financial Services Commission: www.vfsc.vu
CGH13_ebook
To see the actual publication please follow the link above