Vanuatuan general election, 2012

Vanuatuan general election, 2012

30 October 2012

All 52 seats to the Parliament   First party Second party Third party   Leader Edward Natapei Sato Kilman Serge Vohor Party Vanua'aku Pati People's Progress Party Union of Moderate Parties Last election 11 4 7 Seats won 8 6 5 Seat change 3 2 2 Popular vote 13,593 9,462 14,675 Percentage 11.29 8.01 12.19% Swing 12.94 3.09 1.07%

Prime Minister before election Sato Kilman People's Progress Party Subsequent Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil Green Confederation

General elections were held in Vanuatu on 30 October 2012.^[1] The previous elections to the 52-member Parliament of Vanuatu were held in 2008. The largest parties in this election were the socialist Vanua'aku Pati, which won 11 seats, and the social-democratic National United Party (8 seats). Thirteen other parties as well as four independents won parliamentary seats. As a result, Edward Natapei of the Vanua'aku Pati was able to become the Prime Minister. Since then, both Serge Vohor of the conservative Union of Moderate Parties and Sato Kilman of the People's Progress Party have held that position, with Kilman being the incumbent Prime Minister of Vanuatu at the time of the 2012 election.

Electoral system

The 52 members of Parliament will be elected in 17 multi-member constituencies, using the single non-transferable vote.^[2]

Candidates had to be at least 25 years old, and could not have an undischarged prison sentence or bankruptcy.^[3] They also required the support of at least five registered voters in their constituency, and had to put down a non-refundable 50,000 vatu deposit.^[3] The President, judges, magistrates, civil servants, police officers, teachers and members of the National Council of Chiefs were all ineligible for election to Parliament.^[3]

Campaign

346 candidates from 32 political parties contested the 52 seats.^[4]

There were 344 polling stations throughout the country, including 12 in the capital city, Port Vila.^[5] Over 192,000 citizens were eligible to vote in the 2012 election, with 34,998 registered voters in the capital city.^[5]

The election was being observed by representatives from Australia, China, the European Union and the United States, as well as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to Vanuatu, Bill Dobie.^[6] The international observers will submit a report on the election to the Vanuatuan government once the election is completed.^[6]

Results

Voters at a polling station on election day.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Union of Moderate Parties	14,675	12.19	5	–2
Vanua'aku Pati	13,593	11.29	8	–3
People's Progress Party	9,642	8.01	6	+2
National United Party	7,456	6.20	4	–4
Land and Justice Party	7,241	6.02	4	New
Namangi Aute	6,921	5.75	3	New
Nagriamel	5,092	4.23	3	+2
Iauko Group	4,425	3.68	3	New
Green Confederation	4,219	3.51	3	+1
Vanuatu Republican Party	3,627	3.01	1	New
Melanesian Progressive Party	3,379	2.81	2	+1
Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party	2,982	2.48	1	New
Vanuatu Presidential Party	2,888	2.40	0	New
Vanuatu Democratic Party	2,110	1.75	0	0
Vanuatu National Party	1,955	1.62	1	0
Natatok Indigenous People's Democratic Party	1,915	1.59	2	New
National Community Association	1,878	1.56	0	0
Vanuatu Labour Party	1,182	0.98	0	–1
Fren Melanesian Party	1,069	0.89	0	New
People's Services Party	932	0.77	1	New
Union Liberation Front	758	0.63	0	New
Vanuatu Progressive Republican Party	671	0.56	0	New
People's Action Party	653	0.54	0	–1
Vanuatu Progressive Development Party	634	0.5	1	New
Vemarana 15 Islands Culture	561	0.47	0	New
Vanuatu Reform Democratic Party	525	0.44	0	New
Movement Blong ol Chief	450	0.37	0	New
Tanna United Front	387	0.32	0	New
Independent Movement	252	0.21	0	New
Vanuatu Liberal Party	186	0.15	0	New
Vanuatu Family First Party	144	0.12	0	–1
Kristian Democratic Party	97	0.08	0	New
Universal Ethnic System	87	0.07	0	New
Vanuatu Democratic & Liberal Party	55	0.05	0	New
Vanuatu Freedom Party	27	0.02	0	New
Vanuatu Democratic and Liberal Party for Change	20	0.02	0	New
Independents	17,666	14.68	4	0
Invalid/blank votes	1,541	–	–	–
Total	121,895	100	52	0
Registered voters/turnout	184,463	66.08	–	–
Source: Adam Carr

Subsequent by-elections

• Tanna by-election, 2013, following the death of Harry Iauko, Iauko Group MP for Tanna. By-election won by his son Pascal Iauko (Iauko Group)
• Port-Vila by-election, 2015, following the death of Edward Natapei, Vanua'aku Pati MP for Port-Vila. The by-election will take place in October.

References

1. Country Profile IFES
2. "Electoral system design data for Vanuatu | Electoral System Design | International IDEA". www.idea.int. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
3. Electoral system IPU
4. "Vanuatu election: Early results trickle in". Australia Network News. 2012-10-31. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
5. "Polling has begun in Vanuatu’s general election". Radio New Zealand International. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
6. "New Zealand diplomat reassured after observing Vanuatu election". Radio New Zealand International. 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2012-10-30.