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Asia and Oceania
Vanuatu |
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Country information
Politics
Party politics in Vanuatu is in a continuous state of flux with splits and coalitions commonplace. Although slowly diminishing, the Anglo/French divide continues to be important in politics, with parties generally being either predominantly Anglophone or Francophone.
The Constitution dictates that the President serves a five-year term and is elected by secret ballot by the members of the Electoral College. The current State President, Kalkot Matas Kelekele, was elected on 16 August 2004.
Recent political developments
Vanuatu's most recent general election was held on 2 September 2008. All 52 seats in the constituencies were contested. Edward Natapei was elected Prime Minister by two votes in a secret ballot and leads a coalition government.
Of the 16 UN Human Rights treaties, Vanuatu has signed and ratified the Intl Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Acceded to the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW, Signed and Ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Signed the Intl Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
