Prime Minister Jotham Napat’s government could be staring down a potential leadership challenge in a fortnight’s time when the Vanuatu parliament session resumes on November 5, local media is reporting.
Napat, who was elected as the country’s new prime minister in February 2025, is the country’s fifth prime minister in as many years and leads a coalition government made up of five political parties.
Napat has already faced and defeated a no-confidence motion in December last year.
According to the Vanuatu Daily Post, the country’s politicians are lobbying behind the scenes to secure the numbers and launch another leadership challenge to oust Napat’s administration.
“In the current 52-member Parliament, at least nine MPs must sign the [motion of no confidence] notice,” the newspaper reported on Friday.
“For the motion to pass, it must receive the support of an absolute majority of MPs, meaning at least 27 votes. If passed, the prime minister and other ministers cease to hold office immediately but continue to perform their functions until a new prime minister is elected,” the report said.
However, the report said that no formal motion has been confirmed as lodged with the Speaker’s Office or the clerk of parliament.
RNZ Pacific has contacted Napat, opposition leader Ishmael Kalsakau, and the Vanuatu parliament for comment.
This story was first published on
