e regional councils for a five-year
term; election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held
NA 2004); 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 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Father John BANI elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - NA; Barak SOPE elected prime minister by
Parliament with a total of 28 votes; other candidate, Edward NATAPEI,
received 24 votes
note: as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, Donald
KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and the VP formed a coalition
government with the NUP; in November 1999, KALPOKAS, facing strong
opposition and the threat of a no confidence vote, resigned; Barak
SOPE was elected prime minister in his place and a coalition
government was formed

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: Friend Melanesian Party [Albert
RAVUTIA]; John Frum Movement ; Melanesian Progressive Party
or MPP ; Na-Griamel Movement ; National
United Party or NUP ; Tan Union or TU [Vincent
BOULEKONE]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP ; Vanuatu
Party or VP ; Vanuatu Republican Party [Maxime Carlot
KORMAN]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Vanuatu does not have an embassy
in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an e