Member of Parliament

How a trip to Birmingham inspired Vanuatu's Gloria Julia King to run for office

The mother, football coach and community leader said witnessing the challenges Vanuatu sportspeople and officials had during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham inspired her to run in the elections.

"I was unsure, I was uncertain about if this was my calling,"

"Until this year, when we went away for the Birmingham game in England was the first time that I was exposed to the games and the potential Vanuatu would have."

Ms King hopes her rise to becoming the first female MP in Vanuatu in 14 years will allow other women to join politics.

Several MPs defect from embattled Vanuatu government

The house sat following a Supreme Court ruling which confirmed a declaration of vacancies in most of the government member's seats in parliament.

Friday's ruling upheld a decision by the former Speaker of Parliament to expel 19 MPs including Prime Minister Bob Loughman from parliament.

A stay order on the court ruling has been granted while the government appeals, pending the outcome of which the MPs remain as MPs.

This morning when the 52-seat parliament convened, four government MPs joined the opposition, including the former Speaker, Gracia Shadrack.

Fourteen new MPs elected in Kiribati

The second of two rounds of voting took place this week.

Four women have also made Kiribati history by winning seats, the highest number of women in parliament so far.

Most of the ministers in the current caretaker government have kept their seats, including President Taneti Maamau, however it was too early to say whether he would be his party's nomination for President again.

His TKP party had the majority of seats, but cross-party alliances and new members meant there was no clear winner, with the May 22 parliamentary session expected to reveal more.