Editing History of Papua New Guinea (section)

===Political instability===
The 1977 national elections confirmed Michael Somare as Prime Minister at the head of a coalition led by the [[Pangu Party]]. However, his government lost a [[vote of confidence]] in 1980 and was replaced by a new cabinet headed by [[Sir Julius Chan]] as prime minister. The 1982 elections increased Pangu's plurality, and parliament again chose Somare as prime minister. In November 1985, the Somare government lost another vote of no confidence, and the parliamentary majority elected [[Paias Wingti]], at the head of a five-party coalition, as prime minister. A coalition, headed by Wingti, was victorious in very close elections in July 1987. In July 1988, a no-confidence vote toppled Wingti and brought to power [[Rabbie Namaliu]], who a few weeks earlier had replaced Somare as leader of the Pangu Party.

Such reversals of fortune and a revolving-door succession of prime ministers continue to characterize Papua New Guinea's national politics. A plethora of political parties, coalition governments, shifting party loyalties and motions of no confidence in the leadership all lend an air of instability to political proceedings. Under legislation intended to enhance stability, new governments remain immune from no-confidence votes for the first 18 months of their incumbency.