Jotham Napat elected as new Prime Minister of Vanuatu

Jotham Napat, a member of Tanna, has accepted his nomination as Prime Minister of Vanuatu.

Napat is a former deputy prime minister and minister for tourism, commerce, trade, and ni-Vanuatu business.

Napat is the country's fifth prime minister in four years and was elected unopposed as parliament convened for the first time on Tuesday since January's snap election and the devastating earthquake that struck the Pacific Island nation in December.

The earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 7.3, resulted in the loss of at least 14 lives, injured over 200 people, and displaced thousands.

Former prime minister Charlot Salwai, leader of the Reunification Movement for Change, nominated Napat for the position of prime minister, and Ralph Regencanu, the leader of the Graon Mo Jastis Pati and former climate minister, seconded the nomination.

Napat was well-positioned to become the next prime minister after his party secured the most seats in the election, although those seats fell short of a majority.

The official results were released late on 29 January, two weeks after the polling. They revealed that Napat's Leaders Party won nine of the 52 seats in parliament.

Following the election, Napat signed an agreement with the leaders of four other parties, pledging to form a coalition government. Based on the official results, the coalition will have a majority in the parliament.

All 52 MPs, including the only female, Marie Louise Milne, were sworn in on Tuesday, including Speaker Stephen Felix and four deputy speakers representing the five-party coalition.

Stephen Felix is the new Speaker of Vanuatu's Parliament. Photo/Vanuatu Parliament TV

Gloria Julia King, the sole female MP from the last parliament, missed out. Gender disparity in Vanuatu's politics is not a new issue. The country went over a decade without a female MP before King's election in 2022.

Felix, who is a member of the Efate Rural Constituency and part of Napat's Leaders Party, was elected unopposed.

Addressing the House, Felix urged all MPs to conduct their business diligently while prioritising the interests of the ni-Vanuatu people.

Political commentators have noted that Napat's first and most important task will be to rebuild following the earthquake on 17 December.

Vanuatu's only female MP in the 52-seat parliament. Photo/Supplied

Close to two months after the disaster, life is returning to normal in some areas of the capital, Port Vila.

Downtown Vila remained a no-go zone, including Star Wharf, the international port, which was out of operation. Some parts of the city and surrounding villages had no water supply reconnected.

The Recovery Operations Centre estimated that about 6000 workers from 200 businesses in the CBD had been impacted.

Other priorities for Napat's government will include preparing and passing the budget for 2025.