Vanuatu’s parliament will discuss in May a proposed constitutional amendment that would recognize only two sexes, male and female, assigned at birth. The government says the amendment is needed to align the country’s constitution with Vanuatu’s ‘Melanesian values and Christian principles ‘  The Chair of the Vanuatu Christian Council, a church group that consulted with the government on the proposed amendment, said the amendment is intended to limit the ability of LGBTQIA+ Vanuatuans to mobilise or form associations. The amendment is one of several recent moves by the Vanuatu government to limit LGBTQIA+ rights  the country.

Sources: Vanuatu Daily Post, Radio New Zealand, International IDEA

Vanuatu’s coalition government announced planned electoral reforms on 7 March that would allow only indigenous ni-Vanuatu or “third-generation naturalized citizens“ to run for office. The change would mean that naturalised citizens who are not of ni-Vanuatu descent and their children would be ineligible to run for office, but their grandchildren would be. Passing and implementing the proposed reform is part of the coalition’s initial 100-day plan. Opposition MPs have decried the plan as racist, while the government justified its plans as intended to prevent participants in Vanuatu’s citizenship-by-investment (CBI, also known as a “golden visa”) program from interfering in the country’s politics. However, existing legislation already bars naturalised citizens who retain another citizenship from politics. Vanuatu has two elected officials who are naturalized citizens, both of whom are opposition MPs. As the reform involves a constitutional amendment it must be put to a referendum.

Sources: Vanuatu Daily Post, DevPolicy Blog

Vanuatu held snap general elections on 16 January in which no political party won a majority in the 52-seat parliament. While the election was called as a result of persistent political instability in the country, the question of how to rebuild from a major earthquake on 17 December dominated the campaign. The Leaders Party secured the most seats (nine) and announced it had secured a ruling coalition with the Vanua'aku Party, Graon Mo Jastis Party, Reunification Movement for Change, and the Iauko Group on 28 January. Voter turnout was 69.1 per cent, up from 44.2 per cent in the 2022 general election. Contrary to post-election worries that the failure of Gloria Julia King to win re-election would mean that the incoming parliament would be entirely men, Marie Louis Paulette Milne of the Green Confederation Party secured a seat and will replace King as the chamber’s sole woman member.

The Vanuatu Electoral Commission reported that turnout in the 2025 snap election was 69 per cent, up from 44 per cent in the previous election in 2022 and the highest since 2008. Pre-election concerns that persistent political instability and the ongoing efforts to recover from the 17 December earthquake would contribute to low voter turnout proved to be unfounded.

Sources: Radio New Zealand, The Daily Post, International IDEA

Vanuatu’s Ministry of Justice and Community Services announced on 31 October plans to draft a National Policy banning LGBTQIA+ advocacy and activities in the country. A committee in the Ministry will create a workplan in November that will guide governmental efforts to prevent LGBTQIA+ advocacy until the full policy is in place in six months’ time. Vanuatu’s National Human Rights Coordinator, Albert Nalpini, stated the decision was made at the behest of Vanuatu’s Council of Ministers, and singled out the local LGBTQIA+ rights non-profit V-Pride as a prime target of the new policy. Legal experts have pointed out any such policy would violate both Vanuatu’s constitution and its obligations under international law.

Sources: Daily Post, Radio New Zealand, Post-Courier