In Vanuatu, upcoming constitutional referendum proposes ban on political party hopping

An upcoming referendum in Vanuatu to outlaw political-party hopping by legislators has sparked lively debate in the Pacific island country, which has faced three changes of government in the past year. Dissatisfaction with political instability and a fast-rising cost of living is widespread in the archipelago nation of more than 300,000 people. But there are also concerns that outlawing changes of political allegiance during a parliamentary term could be undemocratic. The past year has been particularly tumultuous for Vanuatu’s politics with three motions of no-confidence against incumbent governments, resulting in a succession of prime ministers. There was also a snap election in October 2022. The prime minister at that time, Bob Loughman, dissolved his brief government in response to a no-confidence challenge, but it only resulted in reelection of the same crop of party-hopping legislators. [...] The referendum planned for May 29 proposes that the country’s constitution should be amended so that any lawmaker who leaves or changes political party during the parliamentary term loses their seat. It also proposes that parliamentarians with no political party affiliation be required to join a party within three months of being elected or lose their seat.  A majority of Vanuatu’s Parliament backed the overhaul by passing an anti-party hopping law last year.
Read the full article here: RFA