Charlot Salwai was yesterday elected the new prime minister of Vanuatu following a snap election sparked by a corruption scandal. Mr Salwai, from the Reunification of Movements for Change party, was announced as leader some three weeks after more than 200,000 voters went to the polls. It followed parliament being dissolved in November by President Baldwin Lonsdale when 14 MPs were jailed for bribery. There are 52 members of parliament. The political breakdown came after a period of instability, with four changes of prime minister in the past four years.
Mr Salwai, a francophone, thanked local chiefs, church leaders and the people of Vanuatu for their role in “steering the country back on track after a very tough year in 2015”.
“I wish to acknowledge as well that the election of 2016 was a very highly successful election which you the people have made happen,” he said, according to the Vanuatu News.
“The changes which you have shown in your voting have shown that you have voted for change. Today we have two-thirds of the parliament who are new members of parliament … and this has shown that this house must recognise the voice of the people.”
Full Article: Charlot Salwai elected as Vanuatu leader.