Vanuatuan presidential election, 2009
Encyclopedia
An indirect presidential election was held in Vanuatu
on 1 September and 2 September 2009. The electors are the 52 MPs and the six heads of provincial governments; ten signatures of support are required for nomination. Outgoing president Kalkot Mataskelekele
was renominated for a second term, but Iolu Abil
ultimately succeeded in winning a five-year term after three rounds of voting by the electoral college
.
's five year term as President of Vanuatu ended on August 16, 2009. The Speaker of Parliament
Maxime Carlot Korman
was sworn in as acting President until Mataskelekele's successor could be elected.
Under the Constitution, the President of Vanuatu is elected by the 58 member electoral college
, which is composed of the 52 members of Parliament
as well as the six heads of each of the provincial governments
of Vanuatu (Malampa
, Penama
, Sanma
, Shefa
, Tafea
and Torba
). A presidential candidate must win two-thirds of the electoral college in order to be elected president. According to the Constitution, the presidential election must be held within three weeks after the previous office holder's term expires.
The government of Vanuatu allocated approximately US$70,000 to cover the costs of the 2009 presidential election.
The eleven eligible candidates for President were:
won 11 votes. Kalo Nial and female candidate Yvette Sam both won seven votes. As 39 votes were required to be elected, a second round was set for 2 September 2009. The government claimed that its votes had been split between various candidates as the government had decided to allow individual MPs to decide whom to vote for in the first round, so that respect could be shown to previous leaders.
The second round was also inconclusive, but in the third round (also on 2 September), Iolu Abil
was elected with 41 votes. There were only six other candidates remaining in the third round. Abil was supported by the government (he was the PM's preference, while the deputy Prime Minister Ham Lini
would have preferred to reelect Mataskelekele).http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=48855
Second round
Third round
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
on 1 September and 2 September 2009. The electors are the 52 MPs and the six heads of provincial governments; ten signatures of support are required for nomination. Outgoing president Kalkot Mataskelekele
Kalkot Mataskelekele
Kalkot Mataskelekele Mauliliu was President of Vanuatu from 16 August 2004 to 16 August 2009.He was educated at Scotch College Melbourne the University of Papua New Guinea. He is a lawyer from the national capital, Port Vila, and is the first Head of State of Vanuatu to have a university degree...
was renominated for a second term, but Iolu Abil
Iolu Abil
Iolu Johnson Abil is a Vanuatuan politician. He was elected and sworn in as the President of Vanuatu on 2 September 2009.-Personal life:...
ultimately succeeded in winning a five-year term after three rounds of voting by the electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
.
Election background
Kalkot MataskelekeleKalkot Mataskelekele
Kalkot Mataskelekele Mauliliu was President of Vanuatu from 16 August 2004 to 16 August 2009.He was educated at Scotch College Melbourne the University of Papua New Guinea. He is a lawyer from the national capital, Port Vila, and is the first Head of State of Vanuatu to have a university degree...
's five year term as President of Vanuatu ended on August 16, 2009. The Speaker of Parliament
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman is a ni-Vanuatu politician, formerly serving as Speaker of the Parliament and formerly as acting President. He served as Prime minister of Vanuatu for nearly five years, first from 16 December 1991 to 21 December 1995 and again from 23 February 1996 to 30 September 1996...
was sworn in as acting President until Mataskelekele's successor could be elected.
Under the Constitution, the President of Vanuatu is elected by the 58 member electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
, which is composed of the 52 members of Parliament
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
as well as the six heads of each of the provincial governments
Provinces of Vanuatu
||Vanuatu has been divided into six provinces since 1994. The names in English of all provinces are derived from the initial letters of their constituent islands:- Municipalities :...
of Vanuatu (Malampa
Malampa Province
Malampa is a province of Vanuatu, made up of three main islands, Malakula, Ambrym and Paama, from which the province's name is derived. It includes a number of other islands – the small islands of Uripiv, Norsup, Rano, Wala, Atchin and Vao off the coast of Malakula, and the volcanic island of...
, Penama
Penama Province
PENAMA is a province of Vanuatu, occupying the islands of Ambae, Maewo, and Pentecost. The name PENAMA is derived from the initial letters of Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo. It has a population of 28,960 people and an area of 1,198 km². Its capital is Saratamata....
, Sanma
Sanma Province
Sanma is a province located in the Northern part of the nation of Vanuatu, occupying the nation's largest island, Espiritu Santo, which is located approximately 2,500 km northeast of Sydney, Australia. The name Sanma is derived from the initial letters of the main islands of Santo and Malo...
, Shefa
Shefa Province
Shefa is a province of Vanuatu, including the islands of Epi and Efate and the Shepherd Islands. The name Shefa is derived from the initial letters of Shepherd and Efate. It has a population of 45,280 people and an area of 1,455 km²...
, Tafea
Tafea Province
Tafea is the southernmost province of Vanuatu. The name is an acronym for the five main islands that make up the province:1) including Goat Island and Vete Manung Island...
and Torba
Torba Province
Torba is the northernmost province of Vanuatu, including the Banks Islands and the Torres Islands. Its capital is Sola.The modern name Torba is derived from the initial letters of Torres and Banks.-Facts:...
). A presidential candidate must win two-thirds of the electoral college in order to be elected president. According to the Constitution, the presidential election must be held within three weeks after the previous office holder's term expires.
The government of Vanuatu allocated approximately US$70,000 to cover the costs of the 2009 presidential election.
Candidates
Fifteen candidates seeking the presidency submitted their names to the electoral office – two women and thirteen men. However, only eleven candidates were ultimately found to be eligible to stand for election.The eleven eligible candidates for President were:
- Iolu AbilIolu AbilIolu Johnson Abil is a Vanuatuan politician. He was elected and sworn in as the President of Vanuatu on 2 September 2009.-Personal life:...
- Vincent Boulekone
- Leas Manu Cullwick
- Enias Liatlatmal
- David Lovis
- Kalkot MataskelekeleKalkot MataskelekeleKalkot Mataskelekele Mauliliu was President of Vanuatu from 16 August 2004 to 16 August 2009.He was educated at Scotch College Melbourne the University of Papua New Guinea. He is a lawyer from the national capital, Port Vila, and is the first Head of State of Vanuatu to have a university degree...
- Kalo Nial
- Yvette Sam
- Luke Siba
- Belton Seth
- Jacques Sese
Election
Eleven candidates, including two women, stood in the first round of the election on 1 September 2009 (fifteen had filed, but four of them were not eligible to stand). Vincent Boulekone won 16 votes, Mataskelekele won 14 votes and Iolu AbilIolu Abil
Iolu Johnson Abil is a Vanuatuan politician. He was elected and sworn in as the President of Vanuatu on 2 September 2009.-Personal life:...
won 11 votes. Kalo Nial and female candidate Yvette Sam both won seven votes. As 39 votes were required to be elected, a second round was set for 2 September 2009. The government claimed that its votes had been split between various candidates as the government had decided to allow individual MPs to decide whom to vote for in the first round, so that respect could be shown to previous leaders.
The second round was also inconclusive, but in the third round (also on 2 September), Iolu Abil
Iolu Abil
Iolu Johnson Abil is a Vanuatuan politician. He was elected and sworn in as the President of Vanuatu on 2 September 2009.-Personal life:...
was elected with 41 votes. There were only six other candidates remaining in the third round. Abil was supported by the government (he was the PM's preference, while the deputy Prime Minister Ham Lini
Ham Lini
Ham Lini Vanuaroroa is a politician from Vanuatu. He is an MP from Pentecost Island in PENAMA Province. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 11 December 2004 until 22 September 2008. Lini is the brother of Walter Lini, one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu...
would have preferred to reelect Mataskelekele).http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=48855
Results
First round- Vincent Boulekone – 16 votes
- Kalkot Mataskelekele – 14 votes
- Iolu Abil – 11 votes
- Kalo Nial – 7 votes
- Yvette Sam – 7 votes
Second round
- Iolu Abil – 26 votes
- Kalkot Mataskelekele – 16 votes
- Vincent Boulekone – 16 votes
Third round
- Iolu Abil – 41 votes
- Kalkot Mataskelekele – 16 votes