Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau and Attorney-General Arnold Kiel Loughman outside the Parliament Building in Port Vila. 22 August 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Kelvin Anthony
The newly appointed opposition leader and former prime minister of Vanuatu, Ishmael Kalsakau, has indicated the potential for the opposition group to lodge a motion of no confidence against the incumbent Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, if concerns arise.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reported Kalsakau stressing the importance of handling such motions responsibly, adding the need to justify reasons for the motion.
He said people will find out within the next two weeks whether a motion will be submitted.
Salawai survived a motion of no confidence in November after the country was on the verge of going down the path of holding another snap election, only after a year since the October 2022 snap elections.
But a dissolution of Parliament was avoided after President Nikenike Vurobaravu intervened called called on the political leaders to work together and find a way to resolve their differences.
The Rural Development Party and the Vanua'aku Pati, parties which had joined the coalition government in late November, have denied their involvement in sponsoring of any proposed motion against Salwai.