liday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution: 30 July 1980

Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French
and British systems

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Father John BANI (since
25 March 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April
2001); Deputy Prime Minister Serge VOHOR (since 16 April 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament

elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25
March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members;
election for prime minister last held 16 April 2001 (next to be held
NA 2002)

election results: Father John BANI elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - NA%; Edward NATAPEI elected prime minister
by Parliament with a total of 27 out of 52 votes

note: the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in a
no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected
the new prime minister by Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
VP 18, UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11; note - political
party associations are fluid; there have been four changes of
government since the November 1995 elections

note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom
and land

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the
president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader
of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the
president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP
[Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Willie TITONGOA]; Union
of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party [Maxime
Carlot KORMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization p