References: Constitution, Article 17 (1) & (2) - Elections of Members of Parliament Consititution, Article 4 (2) - National Sovereignty, the Electoral Franchise & Political Parties

www.paclii.org/vu/legis/consol_act/cotrov406/

References: Constitution, Arcticle 28 (1), (2), (3) & (4) - Life of Parliament www.paclii.org/vu/legis/consol_act/cotrov406/

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannaseh

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannaseh

Peer Review Comments: There are occasionally some minor irregularities in remote outer islands and rural areas.

Peer Review Comments: How women vote is often dictated by a male relative or their chief; therefore, their vote is not secret.

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannaseh

References: Constitution, Article 4 (3) - National Sovereignty, the Electoral Franchise & Political Parties www.paclii.org/vu/legis/consol_act/cotrov406/

References: Constitution, Arcticle 17 (2) - Election of Members of Parliament www.paclii.org/vu/legis/consol_act/cotrov406/

Peer Review Comments: There is some discrimination between Indigenous (defined in s. 9a of the Constitution as "a person who has or had four grandparents who belong to a tribe or community indigenous to Vanuatu") and non-indigenous citizens. 95 per cent of the population are indigenous citizens, but there is a 5 per cent minority which includes i) foreign expatriates who have become naturalized citizens after 10 years or more residency in the country and ii) the descendants of Chinese merchants, Vietnamese indentured laborers and French, British and Australian settlers who arrived in the country in the 19th and 20th centuries. While all citizens, both indigenous and non-indigenous are able to stand as candidates for election as Members of Parliament, only indigenous citizens are eligible for election (by an electoral college) as President of the Republic. S. 35 of the Constitution states that

"QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTION AS PRESIDENT

35. Any INDIGENOUS Vanuatu citizen qualified to be elected to Parliament shall be eligible for election as President of the Republic" (emphasis added).

Compare this to s17(2) of the Constitution which governs elections of Members of Parliament:

"Subject to such conditions or restrictions as may be prescribed by Parliament EVERY citizen of Vanuatu who is at least 25 years of age shall be eligible to stand for election to Parliament" (emphasis added). Running for political office as Members of Parliament is available to all citizens but running for political office as President of the Republic is only available to Indigenous citizens. Note however, that the Vanuatu president is a titular head of state with largely ceremonial functions. Real power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet and all citizens are eligible to "run" for the political office of prime minister (within a parliamentary context) regardless of their indigeniety. The restriction on non-indigenous citizens only applies to the presidency,

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannesah

Peer Review Comments: Yes, the costs are very high, and one of the reasons few independent candidates are successful is because the costs are prohibitive.

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannesah

Peer Review Comments: Non-indigenous citizens are sometimes not considered legitimate candidates for office by sections of the government and electorate. Although they have run for political office in the past non-indigenous citizens have seldom been elected to parliament since Vanuatu's independence in 1980.

Peer Review Comments: The political parties are particularly reluctant to nominate women candidates, which means that, in practice, women have a very, very slim chance of running for office and an even slimmer chance of being elected.

References: Daily Post Chief Editor Kierry Mannesah