A statue at the entrance to Vanuatu's parliament in the capital, Port Vila. Photo: RNZI / Jamie Tahana
Five former prime ministers of Vanuatu are lining up to contest the election in a little over two weeks.
They are Serge Vohor in Santo, Charlot Salwai and Ham Lini on Pentecost, Sato Kilman on Malekula, and Joe Natuman.
The caretaker prime minister Bob Loughman is standing on Tanna.
Vohor will contest for his newly established political party Pikinini blong Ground Movement, which means Children of Land Movement, Salwai for the Reunification Movement for Change, Lini for the Pentecost Island Custom Movement, Kilman for the Melanesian Progressive Party, Natuman as an independent and Loughman for the Vanuaku Party.
They are among over 300 applicants to contest the snap election on October 13 for 52 seats in the national parliament.
The Electoral Commission is undertaking a screening process of the applicants to check whether they are qualified to run in the election.
The deputy principal electoral officer Gary Tavoa said any applicant with outstanding debt with any government agency, longer than a period of two months, would fail to meet the eligibility criteria.
The Commission will publish the names of the qualified candidates this Saturday.