1987 Vanuatuan general election explained

Country:Vanuatu
Previous Election:1983
Next Election:1991
Election Date:30 November 1987
Seats For Election:All 46 seats in Parliament
Majority Seats:23
Turnout:71.64%
Party1:Vanua'aku Party
Leader1:Walter Lini
Last Election1:24
Seats1:26
Percentage1:47.28
Party2:Union of Moderate Parties
Leader2:Serge Vohor
Last Election2:12
Seats2:19
Percentage2:39.87
Party3:Friend Melanesian Party
Last Election3:1
Seats3:1
Percentage3:1.99
Prime Minister
Before Election:Walter Lini
Before Party:Vanua'aku
After Election:Walter Lini
After Party:Vanua'aku

General elections were held in Vanuatu on 30 November 1987. Ni-Vanuatu voters were invited to elect the 46 members of an expanded national Parliament, which had previously held 39 seats.

The ruling Vanua'aku Pati maintained its absolute majority, with 26 seats, while the Union of Moderate Parties obtained 19. The Vanua'aku Pati received slightly less than 50% of the popular vote, while the UMP received 40%. Walter Lini of the Vanua'aku Pati remained Prime Minister.[1] Voter turnout was 71.6%.[2]

Important issues in the election included domestic economic reforms (such as liberalising the economy) and the accommodation of the Francophone population.[3]

Electoral system

Most members were elected through single non-transferable voting in multi-seat districts having two to six members each. Four members were elected through first-past-the-post voting.

Results

By constituency

Constituency Candidate Party Votes %
align=left rowspan=7Ambae Onneyn Tahi 884 24.30
Samson Bue 772 21.22
Harold Colin Qualao 766 21.06
Amos Bangabiti 641 17.62
John Tari Morris 249 6.84
James Mera 232 6.38
James Horo 94 2.58
align=left rowspan=4Ambrym Amos Adeng 1,469 46.84
Jack Tungon Hopa 863 27.52
Welwel Andrew 654 20.85
Kevin Jonathan 150 4.78
align=left rowspan=4Banks and Torres Charles Godden 793 34.31
Luke Titinsom Dini 703 30.42
Derek Lulum Vanva 551 23.84
Norman Roslyn 264 11.42
align=left rowspan=7Efate Andes Jacques Carlot 1,086 20.54
Joel Pakoalao Mansale 1,074 20.31
Donald Kalpokas 934 17.67
Chilia Jimmy Meto 920 17.40
Tele Taun 912 17.25
James Kenneth Satungia 244 4.62
Kalosike Edith Matautotau 117 2.21
align=left rowspan=3Epi Jimmy Simon 790 54.94
J. Kalala Waiwo 442 30.74
Reggie Robert 206 14.33
align=left rowspan=6Luganville Alfred Maseng 1,063 46.44
Edgell William 542 23.68
Arusiro Willie 386 16.86
Joel Cyrus 169 7.38
Noel Takau 98 4.28
Thomas Reynolds 31 1.35
align=left rowspan=4Maewo Roger Jerry Boe 539 56.38
Tom Sigo 161 16.84
Ezechiel Toa 145 15.17
Frederick Boe 111 11.61
align=left rowspan=14Malekula Lingtamat Anatole 1,229 14.54
Sethy Regenvanu 1,072 12.68
Adrien Malere 926 10.95
Paul Telukluk 890 10.53
Aileh Rantes 881 10.42
Simeon Ennis 822 9.72
Aime Claude Malere 685 8.10
Willion Willy 599 7.08
Fidel Dra Fabian 488 5.77
Edson David 331 3.91
Nacisse Fred 277 3.28
Jerry Donabit 155 1.83
Hollingson Issachar 91 1.08
Malsekan Jean Baotuste 9 0.11
align=left rowspan=3Other Southern Islands Edward Natapei 606 54.74
Leye Christophe 461 41.64
Naupa John 40 3.61
align=left rowspan=2Paama William Mahit 553 51.35
Mael William 524 48.65
align=left rowspan=7Pentecost Walter Lini 1,392 29.19
Vincent Boulekone 1,094 22.94
Gaetano Bulewak 849 17.80
Basile Tabi 620 13.00
Luke Fargo 572 11.99
Job W. Tabi 159 3.33
Frazer Sine 83 1.74
align=left rowspan=10Port Vila Maxime Carlot Korman 999 20.16
Willie Jimmy 945 19.07
Maria Crowby 671 13.54
Hilda Lini 602 12.15
Barak Sopé 524 10.57
Kalpokor Kalsakau 520 10.49
Albert Sandy 343 6.92
Frank Abel 175 3.53
Franck Bakeo Spooner 139 2.80
George Kaltoi Kalsakau 38 0.77
align=left rowspan=10Santo–Malo–Aore Sela Molisa 1,250 17.38
Serge Vohor 1,093 15.20
Harry Karaeru 946 13.15
Rene Luc 842 11.71
Vuro Baravu Andrew Molieno 807 11.22
Kavcor Wass 750 10.43
Sarki Robert 715 9.94
Thomas Ruben Seru 273 3.80
James Tangis Indofon 264 3.67
Dom Dimala 253 3.52
align=left rowspan=5Shepherds David Karie 531 29.83
Fred Timakata 419 23.54
Raymond Clay 376 21.12
Jimmy Tasso 293 16.46
Api Toara 161 9.04
align=left rowspan=14Tanna Henry Iouiou 1,120 14.17
Iaris Naunun 1,059 13.40
Iolu Abil 1,040 13.16
Keasipai Song 1,000 12.66
Daniel Iamiham 691 8.74
Kawai Thompson 646 8.18
Nango Charley 573 7.25
Korisa Willie 510 6.45
Silas Iaunam 449 5.68
Nicklam Jonathan Jimmy 423 5.35
Tom Numake 183 2.32
Jeffry Lahva 164 2.08
Kapum Jack 35 0.44
Willie Ioba 9 0.11

Aftermath

See main article: 1988–89 Vanuatuan by-elections. In 1988 five MPs led by Barak Sopé left the Vanua'aku Pati and created the Melanesian Progressive Party. The five were subsequently expelled from Parliament on 24 July 1988 by the Speaker 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. Sopé and Maxime Carlot, the leader of the Union of Moderate Parties then described Lini as a "dictator" and 18 of the 20 UMP 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.[4] The only two UMP MPs who were not expelled were Vincent Boulekone and Gaetano Bulewak, who refused to go along with the UMP's boycott strategy. They were subsequently excluded from the UMP and founded the Tan Union.[5] [6]

The by-elections of 1988 and 1989 were boycotted by the UMP and the Melanesian Progressive Party, with most seats won by the Vanua'aku Pati.

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. MILES, William F.S., Bridging Mental Boundaries in a Postcolonial Microcosm: Identity and Development in Vanuatu, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1998,, p.24
  2. [Dieter Nohlen]
  3. Premdas . Ralph R. . Steeves . Jeffrey S. . 1989 . Vanuatu: The 1987 national elections and their aftermath∗ . The Journal of Pacific History . en . 24 . 1 . 110–117 . 10.1080/00223348908572606 . 0022-3344.
  4. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-338243883/view?sectionId=nla.obj-341703189&searchTerm=Vanuatu+by-elections&partId=nla.obj-338277048#page/n9/mode/1up "Sope's Desperate Gamble Falters"
  5. Vincent Boulekone, «La politique du Tan-Union» dans Howard Van Trease et Michelle Craw (dir.), La politique mélanesienne: Stael Blong Vanuatu, University of the South Pacific, 1995, pp.207 et seq.
  6. Roland Rich, Luke Hambly et Michael G. Morgan, Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, Australian National University Press, 2008, p.123

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1987 Vanuatuan general election".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.