Editing Politics of Tuvalu (section)

===The frequent use of the motion of non-confidence in the prime minister===

Tuvalu does not face serious governance issues. The frequent use of the parliamentary [[motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]], engendering many changes of government in relatively short periods, has sometimes been on issues which reflect on the relations between personalities rather than on pressing national issues.<ref name="PPJF"/><ref name="GH2006">{{cite web| last = Hassall | first = Graham | work= Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific|title= The Tuvalu General Election 2006 |date = 2006|url= https://www.academia.edu/4352305| access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> The apparent reasons for the resort to motions of no confidence in the prime minister in the period 1999 to 2004 were: the PM straying from policies supported by the majority caucus; claims that the PM was inefficient or ineffective; and accusations of corruption in making appointments.<ref name="PPJF"/>

During this period of time the terms of the prime minister were short. Bikenibeu Paeniu resigned as prime minister following the vote on a [[motion of no confidence]] on 27 April 1999. [[Ionatana Ionatana]] was elected as prime minister. After the death of prime minister Ionatana on 8 December 2000, [[Lagitupu Tuilimu]] was acting prime minister from 8 December 2000 to 24 February 2001. [[Faimalaga Luka]] became the prime minister on 24 February 2001 until he was replaced by [[Koloa Talake]] after a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]] on 14 December 2001. Koloa Talake was appointed prime minister until he was voted out of office as a result of the vote at the [[2002 Tuvaluan general election]].

Following the elections held on 25 July 2002 six of the 15 members elected to parliament were serving for the first time. [[Saufatu Sopoanga]], a former [[civil service|civil servant]], became prime minister in August 2002.<ref name="IPU02">{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =2002|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2327_02.htm| access-date=7 March 2013}}</ref> It was expected that Tuvalu would have a period of political stability. However the Sopoanga government lost its majority in May 2003, following the results of the [[2003 Nanumea by-election]] and the [[2003 Niutao by-election]].<ref name="GH2006">{{cite web| last = Hassall | first = Graham | work= Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific|title= The Tuvalu General Election 2006 |date = 2006|url= https://www.academia.edu/4352305| access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> Amasone Kilei, the leader of the opposition, wrote to the governor-general on 10 May 2003 advising that he commanded the support of a majority of the members of parliament and they were ready to form a government. On 20 June 2003 Amasone Kilei commenced an action in the [[High Court of Tuvalu]] seeking order regarding the appointment of a speaker and the calling of parliament. As it happened, the governor-general had, on 19 June 2003, issued a notice for the meeting to elect a speaker. In June 2003 opposition MP [[Faimalaga Luka]] became speaker of parliament.<ref name="RNZI_5191">{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=5191 |title=Tuvalu has new speaker |date=24 June 2003 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=30 September 2011}}</ref> However parliament was not called. On 6 August 2003 the High Court declined to make the declaration that the prime minister must resign; however the Chief Justice delivered directions as to how the governor-general should proceed to take any action he considers to be appropriate under Section 116(1), acting in his own deliberate judgment, rather than as advised by the cabinet.<ref name="AG2003">{{cite web| work= PACLII |title= Amasone v Attorney General [2003] TVHC 4; Case No 24 of 2003 (6 August 2003) |url= http://www.paclii.org/tv/cases/TVHC/2003/4.html | access-date=5 April 2015}}</ref> That is, the governor-general could consider whether it was appropriate to exercise his [[reserve powers]] in calling parliament.

On 9 September Sopoanga arranged to appointed opposition MP [[Faimalaga Luka]] as [[Governor General of Tuvalu|governor general]], depriving the opposition of its crucial one-seat majority and triggering the [[2003 Nukufetau by-election]]. The winner of the October by-election, [[Elisala Pita]], joined the government's benches, enabling it to survive a while longer.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060510100356/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archived/2003/2003-10-13.htm "New Member of Parliament in Tuvalu"]}}, Radio Australia, 13 October 2003</ref> The Sopoanga government was eventually brought down by an eight-to-six [[motion of no confidence]] in August 2004.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060510095708/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archived/2004/2004-08-26.htm "Tuvalu PM loses vote of no-confidence"]}}, Agence France-Presse, 26 August 2004</ref> Saufatu Sopoanga resigned as prime minister and member of parliament on 25 August 2004.<ref name="IPU06">{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =2006|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2327_06.htm| access-date=7 March 2013}}</ref> Two government members, [[Elisala Pita]] and [[Otinielu Tausi]], crossed the floor to vote against Sopoanga.<ref name="PIR"/> The [[2004 Nukufetau by-election]] was held on 7 October and Saufatu Sopoanga regained his seat. [[Maatia Toafa]] was elected prime minister on 11 October 2004 with a vote of 8:7;<ref name="RNZ111004">{{cite web| work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |title= New Tuvalu leader seeks stability|date =11 October 2004|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/151106/new-tuvalu-leader-seeks-stability| access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> and Saufatu Sopoanga became deputy prime minister and minister for works transport and communication.<ref name="IPU06"/>

[[Apisai Ielemia]] became prime minister following the [[2006 Tuvaluan general election]] that was held on 3 August 2006.<ref name="TNTV1">{{cite web| work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |title= Tuvalu elects Apisai Ielemia as new prime minister|date =15 August 2006|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/164041/tuvalu-elects-apisai-ielemia-as-new-prime-minister| access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> Many of the incumbent government ministers under the previous government of [[Maatia Toafa]] lost their re-election bids for the Tuvaluan parliament. While Apisai Ielemia was re-elected as a member of parliament in the [[2010 Tuvaluan general election]], he was not re-elected as the prime minister.

These frequent motions of non-confidence and changes of prime minister have been described as having a number of possible explanations: a new generation of politicians who were less deferential to the prime minister as compared to the immediate post-independence parliaments; politicians who were more willing to engage in tactical voting; and competition for the portfolios that come with higher salaries compared to that of an ordinary MP.<ref name="PPJF"/><ref name="GH2006"/> The larger than usual turnover of MPs at the 2002 and 2006 elections may have indicated a reaction by the electorate to the frequent changes of PM.<ref name="PPJF"/>

There were three prime ministers in the period from 2010 to 2019.

{{Main|Prime Minister of Tuvalu}}