Esmon Saimon, the senior MP from the Malekula Constituency, presided over this historic sitting. During this session, the Parliament conducted the election of the Speaker, where Seoule Simeon was elected to this esteemed position.

Additionally, during the official swearing-in of the 52 MPs, a notable moment occurred when Gloria Julia King, a female elected representative, was recognised.

This moment was especially noteworthy because it marked the entrance of a woman into Parliament after many years, and the entire House applauded her achievement, celebrating progress toward greater gender representation in Vanuatu’s politics.

MP Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau was elected as PM during the first sitting of the 13th Parliament. His election was unopposed, allowing him to assume the role without facing competition.

Kalsakau remained in power for approximately nine months following his election. During his tenure, he focused on various political, economic, and social issues.

During Kalsakau’s tenure as PM, a major political shift occurred involving his Deputy PM, Sato Kilman. Kalsakau terminated Kilman’s position as Deputy PM and Minister of Lands due to allegations that Kilman had been involved in secret negotiations with the opposition to remove Kalsakau from office. This political move reflected the tensions within the government and the delicate nature of coalition politics in Vanuatu.

However, several months after his dismissal, Kilman, accompanied by his high chiefs, approached Kalsakau with a symbolic gesture of reconciliation. They brought a pig and some yams as an offering to express gratitude for the cooperation they had shared during their time working together. This is a traditional and culturally significant gesture in Vanuatu, often symbolising respect and goodwill.

Despite the goodwill behind the offering, then PM Kalsakau refused to accept the pig and instead returned it to Kilman. This refusal could be seen as a sign of disapproval or a message that the political rift between them had not been fully resolved.

Meanwhile, the seat for the Malekula Constituency was left vacant after the court annulled the election of the sitting MP, Sanick Assang.

This decision followed Assang’s conviction on charges of misconduct, which led to the annulment of his mandate. As a result, a by-election was called to fill the vacant seat.

During this by-election, Don Ken emerged as a prominent candidate. He contested the seat under the political party of then-Deputy PM Kilman. This by-election was important, as it played a part in the larger political maneuvering within the country, particularly in the context of the rivalry between Kalsakau and Kilman.

During a parliamentary sitting, Speaker Simeon made the decision to vacate the seat of Bruno Leingkone, an MP for Ambrym. Leingkone had been absent for three consecutive sittings of Parliament without giving any prior notice, which triggered the decision to vacate his seat. This move highlighted the strict parliamentary rules regarding attendance and participation in the legislative process.

At the same time, a motion of no confidence was brought against PM Kalsakau. As the debate over the motion loomed, Kalsakau took proactive measures to shore up his position by reshuffling his cabinet, possibly in an effort to strengthen his support among MPs. However, the motion of no confidence continued to gain momentum, reflecting the increasing dissatisfaction within the government.

Meanwhile, a legal battle unfolded regarding the legality of the decision to vacate Leingkone’s seat. Leingkone’s legal counsel successfully obtained a stay order from the court, temporarily halting the vacancy decision. This legal challenge brought additional uncertainty to the political climate at the time.

As the debate on the no-confidence motion began, the political landscape shifted dramatically. Kilman, who had been one of Kalsakau’s main rivals, was elected as the new PM in the 13th Legislature.

While Kilman was successfully elected PM in September 2023, his tenure in office was short-lived. Just one month after assuming the position, Kilman faced a motion of no confidence brought against him in Parliament.

The motion, which is a common parliamentary procedure to challenge a sitting PM, succeeded in removing Kilman from office.

In the midst of this political turmoil, MP Ken, who had been elected as an MP under Kilman’s political party, made a pivotal decision. Ken chose to break away from his party’s alignment with Kilman and instead cast his vote in support of Charlot Salwai.

Salwai, who had previously served as PM, was elected as the third Prime Minister of the 13th Legislature on 6 October 2023.

In November 2023, Vanuatu experienced another political unrest when yet another motion of no confidence was brought against PM Salwai. This marked another period of instability within the government, reflecting the ongoing challenges faced by leaders in Vanuatu’s parliamentary system.

In response to the motion, Salwai, along with his Council of Ministers (COM), requested the dissolution of Parliament in hopes of resolving the situation and possibly heading to a new election.

However, the President of the Republic of Vanuatu did not act in favour of the request for dissolution. Instead, the President took a different route and urged the political leaders to withdraw the motion of no confidence. The President emphasised the need for political stability and called for action on reforms aimed at preventing frequent changes in government.

The suggestion led to a broader focus on legislative reform, particularly through the introduction of a Political Parties Bill. The Bill aimed to reduce the constant shifting of political alliances and the instability caused by frequent motions of no confidence, which had been a recurring issue in Vanuatu’s political landscape. One of the key components of this reform was the proposal to amend the Constitution through the introduction of Sections 17A and 17B.

These amendments sought to stabilise the political system and potentially curtail the ease with which governments could be overturned.

This proposal was then put to the people in a referendum, where the voters overwhelmingly supported the constitutional amendments. The people of Vanuatu voted “yes” to the changes, reflecting public support for the idea of greater political stability and less frequent government changes.

One year later, in November 2024, the Opposition lodged a motion to remove the President of the Republic with allegations of gross misconduct, and days later, they lodged a motion of no confidence against PM Salwai.

On 8 November, the Parliament of Vanuatu resumed its activities during the Second Ordinary session of the 13th Legislature. However, the political situation remained highly volatile, and a major change occurred shortly thereafter.

Some members of the Iauko Group and the Health Minister decided to switch sides and join the Opposition bloc. This defection left the Salwai-led government in a minority position, losing control of the majority in Parliament.

In response to this crisis, PM Salwai took swift action. He appointed two new ministers to his Cabinet in an attempt to maintain a quorum within the COM.

However, despite these efforts, the situation remained precarious for the government, as the loss of support in Parliament continued to threaten the stability of Salwai’s leadership.

Recognising the escalating political crisis, the government, through the COM, formally requested President Vurobaravu to dissolve Parliament. This request was made at approximately 4:00pm on the same day, and the President acted on it swiftly, agreeing to dissolve Parliament for the second time in his tenure. The dissolution of Parliament occurredaround 4:30pm, marking the formal end of the current legislative session and paving the way for fresh elections.

While the Opposition took the matter to court, claiming there was a conflict of interest by the President in dissolving Parliament, the Electoral Commission began preparing logistics for the elections.

The Opposition failed to prove to the court the alleged conflict of interest by the President, who has full authority under the Constitution to dissolve Parliament.

As a result, Vanuatu will go to the polls on 16 January 2025 to elect new MPs for the 14th Legislature.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST