Pacific / Vanuatu

Vanuatu election: Salwai and Regenvanu parties lead in unofficial results

16:09 pm on 23 March 2020

Vanuatu's caretaker prime minister Charlot Salwai and foreign minister Ralph Regenvanu have held their seats in unofficial results from the Vanuatu elections.

Vanuatu's caretaker prime minister Charlot Salwai. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Johnny Blades

Both Mr Regenvanu's Graon mo Jastis party and Mr Salwai's Reunification Movement for Change party are sitting on eight seats each in the unofficial first count.

These unofficial results have the Vanua'aku Party and the Leaders Party of Vanuatu close behind on seven seats each.

The preliminary count gives 30 of the 52 seats available to the four leading parties.

Up to 13 other parties and an independent MP appear to have won another 20 seats.

Due to bad weather delaying polling in some constituencies, a number of results are not through yet.

None of the 16 women who stood for election came close to a winning vote in the 2020 polls.