As part of the political and electoral reform process, the Parliament of Vanuatu in December 2023 passed the Constitution (Eighth) (Amendment) Act No. 21 of 2023. That Act will insert Articles 17A and 17B into the Constitution. As per Article 86 of the Constitution, support of a national referendum is required for constitutional provisions related to the electoral system and the parliamentary system to come into effect. For Articles 17A and 17B to come into effect, a referendum therefore must be held.
The Electoral Commission and Vanuatu Electoral Office have started the preparations for the National Referendum to be held on 29th May 2024. This notice is published for the information of the general public to inform their choice on the day of the National Referendum.
17A Vacation of seat where a member of Parliament resigns or is terminated for ceasing to support a political party
- The President of a political party must inform the Speaker of Parliament, within 14 days after a member of Parliament:
(a) resigns from his or her political party; or
(b) is terminated as a member of that political party because he or she no longer supports that political party. - The Speaker of Parliament after being informed by the President of that political party, must, within 7 days, declare the seat of that member of Parliament vacant.
17B Vacation of seat of an independent member
The main purpose of Article 17B of the Constitution is to ensure that the following members of Parliament are affiliated with a political party for the full term of Parliament:
(a) an independent member; and
(b) the only member representing a political party; and
(c) a member representing a custom movement.
- These members of Parliament must inform the Speaker of Parliament within 3 months of being elected and after the first sitting of Parliament, which political party he or she affiliates with.
- The Speaker must declare the seat of any of these members of Parliament vacant if that member fails to inform the Speaker of Parliament which political party he or she affiliates with.
- The President of a political party must inform the Speaker of Parliament, within 14 days after any of these members of Parliament is no longer affiliated with that political party.
- After being informed by the President of the political party, the Speaker of Parliament must, within 7 days, declare the seat of that member of Parliament vacant.
Summary of Articles 17A and 17B
The Articles are intended to address the problem of political instability which is caused by members of Parliament switching their party allegiances.
Article 17A will ensure that members of political parties elected to Parliament must continue to support their parties after being elected, for the relevant term of Parliament. If political party members resign from their party during this period or their party membership is terminated for withdrawing support from their political party, their seat in Parliament will be declared vacant.
Article 17B will ensure that independent candidates and single member political parties elected to Parliament must affiliate with apolitical party after being elected and continue to support that political party for the relevant term of Parliament. If independents or single members of political parties do not affiliate with another political party, then they will be deemed to have vacated their seat. If they do affiliate with a political party, but subsequently withdraw support from their political party during this period, their seat in Parliament will be declared vacant.
Olsem pat blong proses blong politikol mo elektrol rifom, Palemen blong Vanuatu i bin pasem Konstitusen (Namba Eit) (Amendmen) Akt Namba 21 blong 2023 long manis Disemba 2023. Bambae Akt ia i adem Atikol 17A mo 17B i go insaed long Konstitusen. Folem Atikol 86 blong Konstitusen, i nid blong gat sapot blong mekem wan nasonal referandom blong mekem se olgeta konstitusenol provisen long saed blong elektrol o palementari sistem i save hapen. I mas gat wan referandom i tekem ples blong mekem Atikol 17A mo 17B i save hapen.
Elektrol Komisen mo Vanuatu Elektrol Ofis oli statem olgeta preperesen finis blong Nasonal Referandom ia i tekem ples long namba 29 Mei 2024. Toksave ia i kamaot blong letem pablik i save long joes blong olgeta we oli gat long dei blong Nasonal Referandom ia.
17A Fasin blong lusum jea taem wan memba blong palemen hemi risaen o oli teminetem hem from hemi stop blong sapotem politikol pati blong hem
- Mein tingting bihaen long Atikol 17A blong Konstitusen hemi blong mekem sua se ol memba blong Palemen oli kontinu blong stap olsem ol memba blong wanwan politikol pati blong olgeta kasem taem ful tem blong Palemen i finis.
- Presiden blong wan politikol pati i mas raet mo talemaot long Spika, insaed long period blong 14 dei, sipos wan memba blong Palemen:
(a)hemi risaen long politikol pati blong hem; o
(b)oli teminetem hem olsem wan memba blong politikol pati ia from hemi no moa sapotem politikol pati ia. - Afta we hemi kasem infomesen i kam long Presiden blong Politikol Pati, Spika blong Palemen i mas, insaed long period blong 7 dei, diklerem se memba blong Palemen ia i lusum jea blong hem.
17B Vacation of seat of an independent member
- Mein tingting bihaen long Atikol 17B blong Konstitusen ia hemi blong mekem sua se olgeta memba blong Palemen daon ia oli afiliet wetem wan politikol pati kasem taem ful tem blong Palemen i finis:
- (a)wan indipenden memba; mo
- (b)wan memba we hem nomo i representem wan politikol pati; mo
- (c)wan memba we i representem wan kastom muvmen.
- Insaed long wan period blong 3 manis afta we oli elektem olgeta mo afta long fes dei we Palemen i sidaon, olgeta memba blong Palemen ia oli mas letem Spika blong Palemen i save long wanem politikol pati we oli afiliet wetem.
- Sipos wan memba blong Palemen ia i no letem Spika i save long afiliesen blong hem long wan politikol pati, bambae hemi lusum jea blong hem.
- Presiden blong wan politikol pati i mas raet mo talemaot long Spika, insaed long period blong 14 dei, sipos wan memba blong Palemen i no moa blong afiliet wetem politikol pati.
- Spika i mas, insaed long period blong 7 dei we hemi risivim notis, deklerem se memba blong Palemen i lusum jea blong hem.
Samari blong olgeta atikol 17a mo 17b i stap daon ia:
Ol Atikol ia oli kam blong adresem problem blong politikol instabiliti we yumi lukim ol memba blong Palemen oli stap muv blong go joenem narafala politikol pati.
Atikol 17A bae mekem sua se ol memba blong ol politikol pati we oli elektem olgeta i go long Palemen oli mas kontinu blong sapotem ol pati blong olgeta kasem taem ful tem blong palemen i finis. Sipos ol memba blong politikol pati oli risaen long pati blong olgeta long taem blong period ia o oli teminetem membasip blong olgeta from oli karemaot sapot blong olgeta long politikol pati blong olgeta, bambae oli lusum jea blong olgeta long Palemen.
Atikol 17B bae mekem sua se ol indipenden kandidet mo ol singel memba blong ol politikol pati we oli elektem olgeta i go insaed long Palemen oli mas joenem wan politikol pati afta we oli elektem olgeta mo kontinu blong sapotem politikol pati ia kasem taem ful tem blong Palemen i finis. Sipos ol indipenden mo singel memba blong politikol pati oli no joenem long wan narafala politikol pati, bambae oli lusum jea blong olgeta. Sipos oli joenem long wan politikol pati, be afta oli karemaot sapot blong olgeta long politikol pati ia long period blong tem ia, bambae oli lusum jea blong olgeta insaed long Palemen.
