Edward Natapei
Prime Minister of Vanuatu
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 September 2008
President Kalkot Mataskelekele
Maxime Carlot Korman (Acting)
Iolu Abil
Preceded by Ham Lini
In office13 April 2001 – 29 July 2004
President John Bani
Roger Abiut (Acting)
Alfred Maseng
Roger Abiut (Acting)
Preceded by Barak Sopé
Succeeded by Serge Vohor
President of Vanuatu
Acting
In office2 March 1999 – 24 March 1999
Prime Minister Donald Kalpokas
Preceded by Jean Marie Leye Lenelgau
Succeeded by John Bani
Born 17 July 1954 (age 55)
Political party Vanua’aku Pati
Spouse(s) Leipaki Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki (born 17 July 1954) is a politician from Vanuatu who is currently Prime Minister of Vanuatu, having been elected to the post on September 22, 2008.[1] Natapei was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 (during a time in which he was the Speaker of Parliament), Prime Minister from 2001 until 2004, and then Deputy Prime Minister. He is the President of the Vanua’aku Pati, a socialist, Anglophone political party.
Politics
Natapei was first elected to Parliament in 1983. In 1996, he was elected as Speaker of Parliament, and in 1999 he was elected as President of Vanua’aku Pati.[2] In a parliamentary vote on 25 November 1999, Natapei was a candidate for the position of Prime Minister, but was defeated by Barak Sopé, receiving 24 votes against 28 for Sope.[3] When Sopé lost a vote of no confidence, Natapei became Prime Minister on 13 April 2001, receiving 27 votes in parliament, with one vote against him.[4] He retained the position after the May 2002 election.[5] Even though his party performed poorly in the July 2004 election, he was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for Port Vila Constituency with the highest number of votes. He supported Ham Lini for the post of Prime Minister, but Lini was defeated; however, Serge Vohor was ousted in a motion of no confidence and Ham Lini was elected Prime Minister. Being Vanua’aku Party President entitled Natapei to the post of Speaker of the House, which he declined and relegated to Sam Dan Avock, who was a Party Executive Member.
Natapei became Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities in the Lini-led government in July 2005.[2] A split in Vanua’aku Pati was resolved in August 2005, and Natapei was re-elected as its President,[6][7] receiving 124 votes against 67 for Sela Molisa.[7] In late July 2007 he became Minister of Public Utilities again, replacing Serge Vohor, as well as becoming Deputy Prime Minister.[8]
Second time as Prime Minister (2008–present)
Natapei was elected Prime Minister on 22 September 2008, by the Parliament of Vanuatu after three weeks of negotiations following the country’s September 2nd general election.[9] Natapei received 27 of the 52 votes in Parliament to become Prime Minister for a second term.[9] He narrowly beat his nearest opponent, Maxime Carlot Korman, another former Vanuatu Prime Minister and the leader of the Vanuatu Republican Party, who captured 25 votes in Parliament.[9] Natapei succeeded Ham Lini as Prime Minister and headed a new coalition government encompassing his own Vanua’aku Pati, as well as Lini’s National United Party, independents and several smaller political parties, such as Namangi Aute.[10]
Natapei pledged to continue the policies and reforms of the outgoing Lini government.[9] He announced that some of his government’s primary policies would include transparency, good governance and fighting corruption.[9]
