ident Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 22
September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 22 September
2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
be held in 2009); 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 22 September 2008 (next to be held following
general elections in 2012)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 September 2008 (next to be held 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP
11, NUP 8, UMP 7, VRP 7, PPP 4, GC 2, MPP 1, NA 1, NAG 1, PAP 1,
Shepherds Alliance 1, VFFP 1, VLP 1, VNP 1, VPRFP 1, and independent
4; note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language

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:

Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES]; Jon Frum Movement or
JF [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE];
Nagriamel movement or NAG [Havo MOLI]; Namangi Aute or NA [Paul
TELUKLUK]; National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]; People's Action
Party or PAP [Peter VUTA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato
KILMAN]; Shepherds Alliance Party [leader NA]; Union of Moderate
Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuatu Family First Party or VFFP
[Eta RORI]; Vanuatu Labor Party or VLP [Joshua KALSAKAU]; Vanuatu
National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Republican Farmers Party or VPRFP
[Jean RAVOU]

Political pressur