By Hilaire Bule
Vanuatu Parliament extraordinary session on Wednesday 15 November 2023. Photo: Screenshot/Parliament of Vanuatu
Vanuatu's President Nikenike Vurobaravu issues an ultimatum to MPs, telling them they have until 2pm local time today to resolve the political instability that is rocking the country.
Reliable sources from both the government and the opposition say Vurobaravu, on Tuesday, summoned Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and the leaders of all political parties in the parliament.
At that meeting, he told them that they have until 2pm on Wednesday local time to resolve their differences or he will dissolve the parliament.
The Office of the Prime Minister has confirmed the meeting took place.
President Vurobaravu met with the Speaker Seoule Simeon this morning to discuss a possible dissolution of Parliament this afternoon.
The Office of the Speaker said the problem is the opposition only withdrew the motion of no confidence against Salwai last week, but not the other two motions calling for the removal of the second and fourth deputy speakers, Andrew Napuat and Jack Norris.
Those two motions are listed to be debated this afternoon when parliament sits for an extraordinary session.
Sources say that Vurobaravu has told them the Council of Ministers request to dissolve Parliament that was deposited last week in his office, remains valid.
This political instability has, so far, seen four Vanuatu prime ministers come and go in the space of three years.
