14 Opposition MPs to unite under one single party for 2020 election

The Opposition say they have signed a solidarity agreement to remain united in a bid to contest the 2020 Vanuatu general elections under one party.

In a press conference today, Opposition leader Ishmael Kalsakau confirmed 14 MPs are on his side of the opposition and 10 have added their signatures in the solidarity agreement while 4, who are either in their respective constituencies or overseas, have agreed to sign-up when they arrive in the capital for the Special Parliamentary session on Thursday this week.

In the current makeup, components of the opposition bloc are Melanesian Progressive Party, Union of Moderate Parties, Iauko Group, the People’s Service Party and an independent.

“By 2020 we will go into election under one political party and in the lead up to that election we are, as of today, treating ourselves as one,” Mr Kalsakau said.

“We are tired of disunity, divisions and instability that has caused so much suffering on our people,” said the Leader of Opposition.

He also denied any suggestion that the agreement was incited by the proposed constitutional changes that will be tabled in Thursday’s special parliamentary session.

According to the Opposition, the Government is proposing 25 constitutional amendments.

The proposed amendments include limiting the chances for independent MPs to contest any election as well as preventing any chances for political movers to gain from switch to another party and then returning to their original party, an experience dubbed as an incentive for political instability.

     

Author: 
Harold Obed