By Moses Cakau
The voter turnout for the 2022 Snap Election was less than 50 percent. Vanuatu election officials are hoping this year's turnout was better. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Koroi Hawkins
Vanuatu's Parliament is starting to take shape according to preliminary election results.
As of Saturday, the Leaders Party was on track to becoming the largest in parliament with 11 MPs.
Vanua'aku Party is next with seven, and United Moderates and Reunification Movement for Change are tied on six seats.
Iauko Group had five and Graon Mo Jastis, four.
Coalition talks, already underway, are set to be complicated because in the last parliament at least two parties had MPs split across both the government and opposition benches.
Ballot boxes from all around the country have been transported back to Port Vila where the Vanuatu Electoral Commission is conducting the official count.
Many Port Vila voters spoken to by RNZ Pacific said they wanted leaders who will act quickly to rebuild the quake-stricken city.
Others said they are sick of political instability.
Last week's snap election was triggered by a premature dissolution of parliament last year - the second consecutive time President Nike Vurobaravu has acted on a council of ministers' request to dissolve the house in the face of a leadership challenge.
Counting the latest election Vanuatu will have had five prime ministers in five years.
Last June, a referendum agreed to two changes to the country's constitution aimed at helping to settle the troubled political arena.
Meanwhile, New Caledonia's diaspora voted in Vanuatu's snap poll to renew the 52-seat parliament.
The only polling station, set up in the capital Nouméa near the Vanuatu Consulate General, counted as part as the Vanuatu capital Port Vila's constituency.
It was open to voters last Thursday from 7:30am to 8pm.
For New Caledonia, the estimated number of ni-Vanuatu registered voters is about 1,600.
Bus shuttles were also organised for ni-Vanuatu voters residing in the Greater Nouméa area (Mont-Dore, Dumbéa and Païta).
