The prime minister of Vanuatu is the head of government of the Republic of Vanuatu.

The office of prime minister was created under the Constitution of Vanuatu upon the country's independence in 1980, with independence campaigner Walter Lini becoming the first office-holder. The position is sometimes seen as a continuation of the older office of Chief Minister, which existed before Vanuatu obtained its independence. According to the Constitution, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament, of which s/he must be a member. The prime minister directly appoints or dismisses members of the Council of Ministers (cabinet ministers).

So far 13 men have served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu, some on multiple occasions.

The current prime minister is Jotham Napat from the Leaders Party of Vanuatu, since 11 February 2025.

Disputes

In November 2009, Prime Minister Edward Natapei was briefly declared by the Speaker to have lost his seat over a procedural technicality. The courts invalidated the ruling, and Natapei regained his seat, and thus the premiership."Natapei retains seat: CJ rules", Vanuatu Daily Post, 7 December 2009"PM Natapei defeats motion with 36 MPs", Vanuatu Daily Post, 11 December 2009

Serge Vohor's fourth term in office, from April to May 2011, is included in the list below, although his election to the premiership was voided as unconstitutional by the Court of Appeal on 13 May, on the grounds that he had been elected only by a majority of members of Parliament (26 out of 52), not by an absolute majority. Ralph Regenvanu, who regained his position as Minister for Justice after the annulment of Vohor's premiership, stated: "Prime Minister Serge Vohor and his cabinet are illegal, null and void and were never the government of the country.""Vanuatu Court decision results in change of government", ABC Radio Australia, 13 May 2011

Similarly, Sato Kilman's term is included although it was also voided, by a ruling from Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek on 16 June 2011, finding that Kilman's election in December 2010 had not been in conformity with the requirements for a secret parliamentary ballot set out in article 41 of the Constitution. Thus, following Edward Natapei's ousting in a valid motion of no confidence in December 2010, Vanuatu had no lawfully constituted government until Natapei was restored in June with instructions from the court to convene Parliament for the election of a prime minister."Supreme Declared Natapei, Acting Prime Minister", Government of Vanuatu, 16 June 2011 This was done on 26 June, resulting in Sato Kilman's election to the premiership by Parliament – his first legally recognised term as prime minister.

List of prime ministers Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected Government Took office Left office Time in office 1 Walter Lini 30 July 1980 6 September 1991 Vanua'aku Pati 19831987 Lini I–II–III – Donald Kalpokas 6 September 1991 16 December 1991 Vanua'aku Pati – Lini III 2 Maxime Carlot Korman 16 December 1991 21 December 1995 Union of Moderate Parties 1991 Korman I 3 Serge Vohor 21 December 1995 23 February 1996 Union of Moderate Parties 1995 Vohor I (2) Maxime Carlot Korman 23 February 1996 30 September 1996 Union of Moderate Parties — Korman II (3) Serge Vohor 30 September 1996 30 March 1998 Union of Moderate Parties — Vohor II 4 Donald Kalpokas 30 March 1998 25 November 1999 Vanua'aku Pati 1998 Kalpokas 5 Barak Sopé 25 November 1999 13 April 2001 Melanesian Progressive Party — Sopé 6 Edward Natapei 13 April 2001 29 July 2004 Vanua'aku Pati 2002 Natapei I–II (3) Serge Vohor 29 July 2004 11 December 2004 Union of Moderate Parties 2004 Vohor III 7 Ham Lini 11 December 2004 22 September 2008 National United Party — Lini (6) Edward Natapei 22 September 2008 27 November 2009 Vanua'aku Pati 2008 Natapei III – Serge Vohor 27 November 2009 5 December 2009 Union of Moderate Parties — Natapei III (6) Edward Natapei 5 December 2009 2 December 2010 Vanua'aku Pati — Natapei III 8 Sato Kilman 2 December 2010 24 April 2011 People's Progressive Party — Kilman I (3) Serge Vohor 24 April 2011 13 May 2011 Union of Moderate Parties — Vohor IV (8) Sato Kilman 13 May 2011 16 June 2011 People's Progressive Party — Kilman II – Edward Natapei 16 June 2011 26 June 2011 Vanua'aku Pati — Interim (8) Sato Kilman 26 June 2011 23 March 2013 People's Progressive Party 2012 Kilman III–IV 9 Moana Carcasses Kalosil 23 March 2013 15 May 2014 Green Confederation — Carcasses 10 Joe Natuman 15 May 2014 11 June 2015 Vanua'aku Pati — Natuman (8) Sato Kilman 11 June 2015 11 February 2016 People's Progressive Party — Kilman V 11 Charlot Salwai 11 February 2016 20 April 2020 Reunification Movement for Change 2016 Salwai 12 Bob Loughman 20 April 2020 4 November 2022 Vanua'aku Pati 2020 Loughman 13 Ishmael Kalsakau 4 November 2022 4 September 2023 Union of Moderate Parties 2022 Kalsakau (8) Sato Kilman 4 September 2023 6 October 2023 People's Progressive Party — Kilman VI (11) Charlot Salwai 6 October 2023 11 February 2025 Reunification Movement for Change — Salwai II 14 Jotham Napat 11 February 2025 Incumbent Leaders Party of Vanuatu 2025 Napat

Timeline

See also Politics of Vanuatu President of Vanuatu List of resident commissioners of the New Hebrides

References