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1988–89 Vanuatuan by-elections

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Legislative by-elections were held in Vanuatu on 12 December 1988 and 28 November 1989 to fill twenty-three vacant seats, including twenty-two made vacant by a political crisis.

Background

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The legislative elections of November 1987 were won by the ruling Vanua'aku Pati, which took 26 of the 46 seats in the Parliament of Vanuatu. Walter Lini, Prime Minister of Vanuatu since the country's independence in 1980, remains head of government. The Union of Moderate Parties, led by Vincent Boulekone, won the other 20 seats and remained the parliamentary opposition. Maxime Carlot replaced Vincent Boulekone as leader of the UPM and therefore as leader of the opposition shortly after.[1][2]

In 1988, five deputies led by Barak Sopé left Vanua'aku Pati and created the Melanesian Progressive Party. TheseThe five were subsequently expelled from Parliament on 24 July 1988 by the Speakers Onneyn Tahi, at the request of the Lini government, invoking a 1983 law that automatically vacates the seats of MPs who change political party during the parliamentary term. Barak Sopé as well as Maxime Carlot then described Walter Lini as a “dictator”, and 18 of the 20 UPM deputies started boycotting Parliament. On 27 July, after being absent from Parliament for three consecutive days, the 18 deputies were also expelled by Tahi, who considered that they had resigned their seats. In September the Supreme Court confirmed the legality of the dismissal of the 23 MPs, opening the way to the holding of by-elections.[3] The only two UPM deputies who are not expelled were Vincent Boulekone and Gaetano Bulewak, who refused the UPM's boycott strategy. They were subsequently excluded from the UMP and founded the Tan Union.[4][5]

Results

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The by-elections for the eighteen seats made vacant by the expulsion of deputies from the Union of Moderate Parties are being held on 12 December 1988, the expulsion of the five dissident Vanua'aku Pati MPs having been suspended by court decision. The UPM and the Melanesian Progressive Party (PPM) are boycotting them. Only Vanua'aku Pati and Union tan present candidates. For nine of the seats, there is only one candidate.[6][7] The participation rate in constituencies where there are candidates to decide is only around 40%, with opposition supporters following the boycott instructions.[8]

The expulsion of Barak Sopé and his four fellow deputies having finally been confirmed by the courts, partial elections for these five vacant seats are being held on 28 November 1989. Here too, only the Vanua'aku Pati and the Tan Union participated, these elections being boycotted by the UPM and the PPM.

1988 elections

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Constituency Candidate Party Votes %
Ambae Wilson Tarisevuti Vanua'aku Pati 1368 85.71
Jeremiah Lingi Vira Tan Union 228 14.29
Ambrym Andrew Welwel Vanua'aku Pati 1311 73.24
Talsil Olsen Kai Tan Union 479 26.76
Banks and Torres George Baet Vanua'aku Pati 1342 80.84
Francis Din Tan Union 318 19.16
Efate Tele Taun Vanua'aku Pati 771 56.90
Thomas David Tanarango Vanua'aku Pati 474 34.98
Andes J. Carlot Independent 110 8.12
Luganville J. Kalo Nial Vanua'aku Pati 647 72.62
Louis Vatou Tan Union 201 22.56
Norman Roslyn Independent 43 4.83
Malekula Daniel Nato Vanua'aku Pati 2414 62.98
Jown Wesley Tawi Vanua'aku Pati 1191 31.07
Ignace Liatlatmal Tan Union 228 5.95
Port Vila Kalkot Mataskelekele Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Kalanga Sawia Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Jacobe Joseph Tan Union Unopposed
Santo–Malo–Aore James Vuti Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Robert Sarki Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Daniel Kath Tan Union Unopposed
Tanna Gideon Kota Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Jack Iauko Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Jimmy Noanikam Tan Union Unopposed
Source:[9]

1989 elections

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Constituency Candidate Party Votes %
Banks and Torres Cecil Sinker Vanua'aku Pati 1473 82.99
Ben Gorqon Tan Union 302 17.01
Epi Tangat Yapet Vanua'aku Pati Unopposed
Luganville Seth Russon Vanua'aku Pati 545 76.22
Tamos Petro Tan Union 170 23.78
Malekula Emile Waniel Vanua'aku Pati 2985 95.95
Ignace Liatlatmal Tan Union 126 4.05
Port Vila Thomas Faratia Brothy Vanua'aku Pati 757 80.45
Gilbert Haul Tan Union 184 19.55
Santo–Malo–Aore Louis Vatou Tan Union Unopposed
Shepherds Etchin Shem Masoerangi Vanua'aku Pati 731 95.68
Ezekiel Pakoa Tan Union 33 4.32
Source:[10]

Aftermath

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On 16 December 1988, four days after the by-elections, the President Ati George Sokomanu declared Parliament dissolved and announced that early elections would be held in February 1989. The Lini government considered this dissolution to be unconstitutional and did not take it into account. On 18 December, President Sokomanu appoints an “interim government” led by his nephew Barak Sopé. The same day, the Lini government ordered and obtained the arrest of Sokomanu, Sopé and other members of this so-called government. On 19 December, the Supreme Court of Vanuatu declares the actions of President Sokomanu unconstitutional, as the Constitution of Vanuatu does not allow the President to dissolve Parliament on his own initiative, nor to appoint a government which does not have the confidence of Parliament.[6]

In February 1989, the courts sentenced President Sokomanu to six years in prison for inciting mutiny and seditious conspiracy. Barak Sopé and Maxime Carlot are each sentenced to five years in prison, and Willie Jimmy to three years in prison.[8]

In September 1991, Prime Minister Lini is forced to resign following an internal rebellion within his party, and a motion of no confidence against him in Parliament. Donald Kalpokas, new leader of Vanua'aku Pati, becomes Prime Minister ahead of December elections.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Vanuatu: élections du 30 novembre 1987, Inter-Parliamentary Union
  2. ^ Miles, William F.S., Bridging Mental Boundaries in a Postcolonial Microcosm: Identity and Development in Vanuatu, Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press, 1998, ISBN 0-8248-2048-7, p.24
  3. ^ "Sope's desperate gamble falters", Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1988, p. 10
  4. ^ Vincent Boulekone, «La politique du Tan-Union» in Howard Van Trease and Michelle Craw (dir.), La politique mélanesienne: Stael Blong Vanuatu, University of the South Pacific, 1995, pp.207 et seq
  5. ^ Roland Rich, Luke Hambly and Michael G. Morgan, Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, Australian National University Press, 2008, p.123
  6. ^ a b "Political crisis in Vanuatu", Australian Foreign Affairs Record, December 1988, pp.541-542
  7. ^ "Poll will set Vanuatu's power base", The Canberra Times, 12 December 1988, p.6
  8. ^ a b "Sope, Sokomanu guilty of mutiny and sedition", Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1989, p.10
  9. ^ "Republic of Vanuatu Official Gazette No. 33" (PDF). 19 December 1988.
  10. ^ "Republic of Vanuatu Official Gazette No. 30" (PDF). 18 December 1989.
  11. ^ « Vanuatu: élections du 2 décembre 1991 », Inter-Parliamentary Union