Vanuatu’s president has dissolved the Pacific nation’s Parliament hours before a no-confidence motion was brought against Prime Minister Bob Loughman.
The latest incident continues a tumultuous few weeks for democratic institutions in the South Pacific—already susceptible to influence from Beijing.
On Aug. 18, Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu signed the notice to dissolve Parliament—the next elections were due in 2024.
Presiding Prime Minister Loughman has faced pressure for months after he attempted to change the Constitution so as to extend term limits from four to five years and to also allow foreign nationals to hold office—there is a large population of Chinese nationals in the region….