PORT VILA – A memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed by more than two-thirds of Vanuatu’s 52 MPs to commit to forming a new coalition government.
The MOA was signed in Port Vila on Wednesday by 11 political groupings comprising 36 MPs elected in Vanuatu’s snap election two weeks ago.
The snap election was called following the President, Baldwin Lonsdale’s, move to dissolve Parliament late last year amid a political impasse, which emerged after the jailing of 14 government MPs for bribery. The coalition includes all but one of the parties, which emerged from the election with more than one MP.
This includes the Vanua’aku Pati, the Graon Mo Jastis Pati, the Union for Moderates, the National United Party, the Reunification of Movements for Change and the Nagriamel. The People’s Progress Party of caretaker Prime Minister Sato Kilman is not among them.
However, the coalition does include the Green Confederations, a party led by Mr Kilman’s former deputy, Moana Carcasses, who was the central figure in the bribery case.
The parties and groupings will negotiate towards a decision on arrangements between them, including the allocation of the position of prime minister, speaker and ministerial portfolios.
The formation of a new government in Vanuatu is expected to formally take shape next week when Parliament sits on February 11 to elect a prime minister.
