Prime Minister of Tuvalu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prime Minister of Tuvalu
Coat of arms of Tuvalu.svg
Coat of Arms of Tuvalu
Kausea Natano.png
Incumbent
Kausea Natano
since 19 September 2019
AppointerElected by the members of the Parliament
Term lengthWhile commanding the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. No term limits are imposed on the office.
Inaugural holderToaripi Lauti
Formation1 October 1978
SalaryAU$ 26,660 annually[1]
Politics of Tuvalu
Coat of arms of Tuvalu.svg
Government
Legislature
  • Parliament of Tuvalu
Executive
Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg
  • Monarch
  • Elizabeth II

Flag of the Governor-General of Tuvalu.svg

  • Vacant
Judiciary
Royal Arms of the United Kingdom (Crown & Garter).svg
  • Chief Justice Charles Sweeney
Elections
Foreign relations
Flag of Tuvalu.svg Tuvalu portal
  • Other countries
  • v
  • t

The prime minister of Tuvalu is the head of government of Tuvalu. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the prime minister must always be a member of the parliament, and is elected by parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of parliament can be nominated for the role. Following the parliamentary vote the governor-general of Tuvalu (as head of state) is responsible for swearing in as the prime minister the person who commands the confidence of a majority of members of parliament.

The office of prime minister was established when Tuvalu gained independence in 1978, although the post is sometimes considered to be a continuation of the earlier office of chief minister, which was created in 1975. If the prime minister dies, as has happened on one occasion, the deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister until a new one is elected by parliament. The prime minister can lose his office by resigning, being defeated in a motion of no confidence by parliament, or losing his seat in a parliamentary election.

Several former prime ministers have been appointed the governor-general of Tuvalu.

Since 2019, Kausea Natano is the incumbent prime minister.

List of Officeholders (1978–present)[]

No. Name
(Birth–Death) 		Election Term of office Ministry Governor-General Monarch
Took office Left office Time in office
Chief Minister of the Ellice Islands
1 Sir Toaripi Lauti
(1928–2014) 		Appointed 2 October 1975 1 October 1978 2 years,

364 days

Lauti Ministry

1st Ministry

John Hillary Smith Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister of Tuvalu
1 Sir Toaripi Lauti
(1928–2014) 		1977 1 October 1978 8 September 1981 2 years, 341 days Lauti Ministry

1st Ministry

Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo
2 Tomasi Puapua
(1938–) 		1981

1985

8 September 1981 16 October 1989 8 years, 38 days First Puapua Ministry

Second Puapua Ministry

2nd Ministry

Sir Tupua Leupena
3 Bikenibeu Paeniu
(1956–) 		1989

1993 (Sep)

16 October 1989 10 December 1993 4 years, 54 days First Paeniu Ministry

3rd Ministry

Sir Toaripi Lauti
Sir Tomu Sione
4 Sir Kamuta Latasi
(1936–) 		1993 (Nov) 10 December 1993 24 December 1996 3 years, 14 days Latasi Ministry

4th Ministry

Sir Tulaga Manuella
(3) Bikenibeu Paeniu
(1956–) 		1993 (Nov)

1998

24 December 1996 27 April 1999 2 years, 124 days Second Paeniu Ministry

Third Paeniu Ministry

5th Ministry

Sir Tomasi Puapua
5 Ionatana Ionatana
(1938–2000) 		1998 27 April 1999 8 December 2000 1 year, 224 days Ionatana Ministry

6th Ministry

Acting1 Lagitupu Tuilimu — 8 December 2000 24 February 2001 78 days Tuilimu Ministry

6th Ministry (Cont.)

6 Faimalaga Luka
(1940–2005) 		1998 24 February 2001 14 December 2001 293 days Luka Ministry

7h Ministry

7 Koloa Talake
(1934–2008) 		1998 14 December 2001 2 August 2002 234 days Talake Ministry

8th Ministry

8 Saufatu Sopoanga
(1952–2020) 		2002 2 August 2002 27 August 2004 2 years, 25 days Sopoanga Ministry

9th Ministry

Faimalaga Luka
9 Maatia Toafa
(1954–) 		2002 27 August 2004 14 August 2006 1 year, 352 days First Toafa Ministry

10th Ministry

Sir Filoimea Telito
10 Apisai Ielemia
(1955–2018) 		2006 14 August 2006 29 September 2010 4 years, 45 days Ielemia Ministry

11th Ministry

Sir Kamuta Latasi
Sir Iakoba Italeli
(9) Maatia Toafa
(1954–) 		2010 29 September 2010 24 December 2010 86 days Second Toafa Ministry

12th Ministry

11 Willy Telavi
(1954–) 		2010 24 December 2010 1 August 2013 2 years, 221 days Telavi Ministry

13th Ministry

12 Enele Sopoaga
(1956–) 		2010

2015

1 August 2013 19 September 2019 6 years, 48 days Sopoaga Ministry

14th Ministry

Mrs. Teniku Talesi Honolulu,
Samuelu Teo,
Tofiga Vaevalu Falani
13 Kausea Natano
(1957–) 		2019 19 September 2019 Incumbent 2 years, 148 days Natano Ministry

15th Ministry

Notes

  1. ^ Tuilimu served as acting prime minister following the death of Ionatana.[2][3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Tuvalu. "PRESCRIPTION OF SALARIES ACT, 2008 Revised Edition" (PDF). tuvalu-legislation.tv.
  2. ^ "Tuvalu: Year In Review 2001". Britannica. 2001. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  3. ^ Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press.
Retrieved from ""