Editing Vanuatu (section)

===Politics===
{{Main|Politics of Vanuatu}}
[[File:Vanuatu Parliament, Port Vila - Flickr - PhillipC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Vanuatu's parliament]]

The Republic of Vanuatu is a [[parliamentary democracy]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Veenendaal|first=Wouter|date=21 March 2021|title=How instability creates stability: the survival of democracy in Vanuatu|journal=Third World Quarterly|volume=42|issue=6|pages=1330–1346|doi=10.1080/01436597.2021.1890577|issn=0143-6597|doi-access=free|hdl=1887/3249953|hdl-access=free}}</ref> with a [[Constitution of Vanuatu|written constitution]], which declares that the "head of the Republic shall be known as the President and shall symbolise the unity of the nation." The powers of the [[President of Vanuatu]], who is elected for a five-year term by a two-thirds vote of an electoral college, are primarily ceremonial.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Government of the Republic of Vanuatu |year=1983 |url=http://vanuatugovernment.gov.vu/government/library/constitution.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430172100/http://vanuatugovernment.gov.vu/government/library/constitution.html |archive-date=30 April 2009 |title=Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu |access-date=26 July 2009}}</ref> The electoral college consists of members of Parliament and the presidents of Regional Councils. The President may be removed by the electoral college for gross misconduct or incapacity.

The [[Prime Minister of Vanuatu|Prime Minister]], who is the [[head of government]], is elected by a majority vote of a three-quarters [[quorum]] of the Parliament. The Prime Minister, in turn, appoints the Council of Ministers, whose number may not exceed a quarter of the number of parliamentary representatives. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers constitute the executive government.

The [[Parliament of Vanuatu]] is [[unicameral]] and has 52 members,<ref>[http://www.paclii.org/cgi-bin/sinodisp/vu/legis/consol_sub/rotpcas654/rotpcas654.html?stem=&synonyms=&query=members%20of%20parliament Representation of the People (Parliamentary Constituencies and Seats)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201000158/http://www.paclii.org/cgi-bin/sinodisp/vu/legis/consol_sub/rotpcas654/rotpcas654.html?stem=&synonyms=&query=members%20of%20parliament |date=1 February 2021 }}.</ref> who are elected by popular vote every four years unless earlier dissolved by a majority vote of a three-quarters quorum or by a directive from the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Forty-four of these MPs are elected through [[Single non-transferable voting]]; eight are elected through single-member plurality.

The national Council of Chiefs, called the ''[[Malvatu Mauri]]'' and elected by district councils of chiefs, advises the government on all matters concerning ni-Vanuatu culture and language. The [[Supreme Court of Vanuatu|Supreme Court]] consists of a chief justice and up to three other judges. Two or more members of this court may constitute a Court of Appeal. Magistrate courts handle most routine legal matters. The legal system is based on [[Common law|British common law]] and [[French civil law]]. The [[Constitution of Vanuatu|constitution]] also provides for the establishment of village or island courts presided over by chiefs to deal with questions of [[Custom (law)|customary law]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Forsyth |first=Miranda |title=Beyond Case Law: Kastom and Courts in Vanuatu |url=https://mjcs.gov.vu/images/research_database/Beyond_Case_Law_Kastom_and_Courts_in_Vanuatu.pdf |journal=Kastom and Courts in Vanuatu |page=431 |quote=Article 52 states that Parliament is to provide for the establishment of Island Courts with jurisdiction over customary and other matters and shall provide for the role of chiefs in such Courts.}}</ref> [[Squatting in Vanuatu|Squatting]] occurs and the principle of [[adverse possession]] does not exist.<ref name="RC">{{cite web |title=Housing land and property law in Vanuatu |url=https://www.sheltercluster.org/sites/default/files/docs/vanuatu_disaster_law_hlp_mapping_0.pdf |website=International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |access-date=16 March 2021 |archive-date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817040750/https://www.sheltercluster.org/sites/default/files/docs/vanuatu_disaster_law_hlp_mapping_0.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Besides national authorities and figures, Vanuatu also has high-placed people at the village level. Chiefs continue to be the leading figures at the village level. It has been reported that even politicians need to oblige them.<ref name="Lonely Planet:Vanuatu">Lonely Planet:Vanuatu</ref> In northern Vanuatu, feasts are graded through the nimangki system.

In July 2024, Minister [[Charlot Salwai]] graced the [[opening ceremony]] of the new $21 million [[presidential palace]] built by China. [[Hu Chunhua]] bestowed Vanuatu an oversized [[novelty]] golden key [[Blazon|emblazoned]] with "China Aid". [[Dragon dance]]rs and ceremonial [[kava]] brew completed the festivity.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=China builds Vanuatu presidential palace|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/07/03/world/asia-oceania/china-builds-vanuatu-presidential-palace/1954733 |accessdate=July 3, 2024 |publisher=[[The Manila Times]] |date=July 3, 2024}}</ref>