| Post: | Prime Minister |
| Body: | Tuvalu |
| Insignia: | Coat of arms of Tuvalu.svg |
| Insigniasize: | 125px |
| Insigniacaption: | Coat of Arms of Tuvalu |
| Flag: | Flag of Tuvalu (state).svg |
| Flagcaption: | State Flag of Tuvalu |
| Incumbent: | Feleti Teo |
| Incumbentsince: | 26 February 2024 |
| Style: | The Right Honourable |
| Appointer: | Elected by the members of the parliament |
| Salary: | AU$ 40,840/US$ 26,660 annually[1] |
| Termlength: | While commanding the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. No term limits are imposed on the office. |
| Formation: | 1 October 1978 |
| Inaugural: | Toaripi Lauti |
The prime minister of Tuvalu is the country's head of government. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the prime minister must always be a member of the parliament and is elected by parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of parliament can be nominated for the role.
Part V, section 62 of the Constitution of Tuvalu describes the vesting of the executive authority:
(1) The executive authority of Tuvalu is primarily vested in the Sovereign, and the Governor-General as the representative of the Sovereign.
(2) The executive authority so vested in the Sovereign shall be exercised in accordance with section 53 (performance of functions by the Head of State).[2]
Following the parliamentary vote, the governor-general of Tuvalu is responsible for swearing in as the prime minister the person who commands the confidence of a majority of members of parliament.
Part V of the Constitution establishes the executive authority of Tuvalu and confirms that while the Prime Minister is the head of government, executive power is exercised by ministerial government, with Part V, section 67 to 69 establishing the role of the cabinet.[2]
The office of prime minister was established when Tuvalu gained independence in 1978. However, the post is sometimes considered a continuation of the earlier office of chief minister, created in 1975. If the prime minister dies, as has happened on one occasion, the deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister until a new one is elected by parliament. The prime minister can lose his office by resigning, being defeated in a motion of no confidence by parliament, or losing his seat in a parliamentary election.
Part V, Section 63 of the Constitution of Tuvalu establishes the office of Prime Minister. Under section 64, the Prime Minister is elected by the members of parliament, with sections 64 to 67 describing what happens if the office of the Prime Minister becomes vacant, the removal from office of an incapacitated Prime Minister, the process for the suspension of the Prime Minister, and the effect of removal or suspension of the Prime Minister.[2]
Until the Second Toafa Ministry in 2010, the prime minister also had the role of foreign minister. Enele Sopoaga was the foreign minister in the short-lived Second Toafa Ministry. In subsequent ministries, foreign affairs was another minister's responsibility in the cabinet.
Several former prime ministers have been appointed the governor-general of Tuvalu.
Feleti Teo was appointed as prime minister on 26 February 2024, after he was elected unopposed by the parliament.[3]
Toaripi Lauti was the Chief Minister of the Ellice Islands from 1975 to 1978 when Tuvalu became an independent country. He became the first Prime Minister of Tuvalu after that.
| Portrait | Name | Election | Term of office | Ministry | Governor-General | Monarch | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
| 1 | Sir Toaripi Lauti | 1977 | 1 October 1978 | 8 September 1981 | Lauti Ministry | Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo | Queen Elizabeth II | |||
| 2 | Tomasi Puapua | 1981 1985 | 8 September 1981 | 16 October 1989 | First Puapua Ministry Second Puapua Ministry | |||||
| Sir Tupua Leupena | ||||||||||
| 3 | Bikenibeu Paeniu | 1989 1993 | 16 October 1989 | 10 December 1993 | First Paeniu Ministry | |||||
| Sir Toaripi Lauti | ||||||||||
| Sir Tomu Sione | ||||||||||
| 4 | Sir Kamuta Latasi | 1993 | 10 December 1993 | 24 December 1996 | Latasi Ministry | |||||
| Sir Tulaga Manuella | ||||||||||
| Bikenibeu Paeniu | 1993 1998 | 24 December 1996 | 27 April 1999 | Second Paeniu Ministry Third Paeniu Ministry | ||||||
| Sir Tomasi Puapua | ||||||||||
| 5 | Ionatana Ionatana | 1998 | 27 April 1999 | 8 December 2000 | Ionatana Ministry | |||||
| Lagitupu Tuilimu | — | 8 December 2000 | 24 February 2001 | Tuilimu Ministry | ||||||
| 6 | Faimalaga Luka | 1998 | 24 February 2001 | 14 December 2001 | Luka Ministry | |||||
| 7 | Koloa Talake | 1998 | 14 December 2001 | 2 August 2002 | Talake Ministry | |||||
| 8 | Saufatu Sopoanga | 2002 | 2 August 2002 | 27 August 2004 | Sopoanga Ministry | |||||
| Faimalaga Luka | ||||||||||
| 9 | Maatia Toafa | 2002 | 27 August 2004 | 14 August 2006 | First Toafa Ministry | |||||
| Sir Filoimea Telito | ||||||||||
| 10 | Apisai Ielemia | 2006 | 14 August 2006 | 29 September 2010 | Ielemia Ministry | |||||
| Sir Kamuta Latasi | ||||||||||
| Sir Iakoba Italeli | ||||||||||
| Maatia Toafa | 2010 | 29 September 2010 | 24 December 2010 | Second Toafa Ministry | ||||||
| 11 | Willy Telavi | 2010 | 24 December 2010 | 1 August 2013 | Telavi Ministry | |||||
| 12 | Enele Sopoaga | 2010 2015 | 1 August 2013 | 19 September 2019 | Sopoaga Ministry | |||||
| 13 | Kausea Natano | 2019 | 19 September 2019 | 26 February 2024 | Natano Ministry | Mrs. Teniku Talesi, Samuelu Teo | ||||
| 14 | Feleti Teo | 2024 | 26 February 2024 | Incumbent | Teo Ministry | Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani | King Charles III | |||
Notes