Vanuatu

Events in Vanuatu in 2020 were dominated by the national general elections, natural disasters, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (covid-19), and the controversies surrounding the fortieth independence anniversary celebrations.

A total of 231 candidates contested the national general elections for fifty-two seats in the twelfth legislature of Parliament (Malapa 2020a). On 19 March, over 278,000 voters cast their votes at 352 polling stations, where they saw a strong presence of observer groups representing both diplomatic missions and political parties (Daily Post 2020h). For the first time in the nation's history, the official counting of the ballots was streamed live on Facebook, which made the process both transparent and accessible to viewing by third parties (Malapa 2020b).

Twenty-five former members of Parliament from the eleventh legislature were reelected, including Christophe Emelee (Torres constituency); Jay Ngwele (Ambae constituency); Bruno Leingkone (Ambrym constituency); Ian Wilson (Maewo constituency); Gillion William and Jack Norris (Efate Rural constituency); Matai Seremaiah and Mark Ati (Luganville constituency); Marcellino Barthelemy, Gracia Shadrack, Esmon Saimon, and John Sala (Malekula constituency); Silas Bule and Charlot Salwai (Pentecost constituency); Ralph Regenvanu, Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, and Kenneth Natapei (Port Vila constituency); Samson Samsen, Alfred Maoh, and Gaetan Pikioune (Santo Rural constituency); and Jotham Napat, Andrew Napuat, Johnny Koanapo, Bob Loughman Weibeur, and Nako Natuman (Tanna constituency). Two members of Parliament from the tenth legislature—Bakoa Kaltonga (Efate Rural constituency) and James Bule (Ambae constituency)—secured their seats again after having lost them in the previous general election for the eleventh legislature in 2016.

Former Prime Minister Joe Natuman saw his application to be declared an eligible candidate for the 2020 general elections quashed by the Supreme Court. He had submitted the application on 28 January 2020 after the Electoral Commission had written him a letter advising him that he was disqualified for contesting in the general elections pursuant to section 24 (1) (b) of the Representation of the People's Act [cap 146] (G Willie 2020a). Previously, in March 2018, Natuman was serving as deputy prime minister when he was given a two-year suspended sentence by the Supreme Court after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice (Tahana 2018).

Former Prime Ministers Ham Lini and Sato Kilman both lost their seats to new candidates from the Graon mo Jastis Pati (gjp), Ephraim Boe Reve and Edmond Julun. They each secured just over seven hundred votes, which was not enough to secure a seat. gjp's strategy was to field fewer candidates than other political parties and consolidate their voters toward a winning majority. This proved to be a smart move, and from their fifteen candidates who contested the general elections, they gained nine elected members of Parliament. The Leaders Party of Vanuatu and Vanua'aku Pati fielded twenty-five and twenty-seven candidates, respectively, but they only gained seven elected members of Parliament each (R Willie 2020).

Vanua'aku Pati's president and mp for Tanna constituency, Bob Loughman Weibur, was elected by Parliament as prime minister on 20 April. He defeated gjp's president and mp for Port Vila constituency, Regenvanu, 31–21. When Parliament convened to vote through secret ballot, there were thirty mps from the Vanua'aku Pati, the Union of the Moderate Parties, the National United Party, the Nagriamel political movement, the Green Confederation Party, and other political groups on one side of the chamber. On the other side were twenty-two mps from gjp, Reunification of Movement for Change, the Leaders Party of Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Liberal Movement, and other groups (Ligo, Malapa, and Kalsakau 2020a).

Interestingly, outgoing Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas did not contest for the top post but instead nominated gjp's Regenvanu as a candidate for the prime minister position, while Vanua'aku Pati's Loughman was nominated by outgoing Opposition leader and mp for Port Vila Constituency Ishmael Kalsakau. Kalsakau was later appointed deputy prime minister and minister of internal affairs, and other appointed cabinet members included Willie Daniel (minister for agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries and biosecurity); Johnny Koanapo Rasou (minister for finance); Silas Bule (minister for health); Bruno Lengkon (minister...