The governments of three Pacific countries face removal, through a parliamentary procedure called a motion of no confidence. Opposition parties in Vanuatu, The Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have issued the challenges. If the Prime Minister's party loses the vote - the whole government changes without an election. We have an explanation, from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.
Many Pacific nations were once ruled by Britain and on independence - adopted Britain's parliamentary form of government. Under the US constitution, the President serves as head of state and head of government. In a parliamentary system, the head of state is separate. In the Solomon Islands, it's still Queen Elizabeth the Second. In Vanuatu, it's President Baldwin Lonsdale - who's played a key role holding the country together after fourteen members of were convicted of bribery and sent to prison.
Under our system, the people vote for president. In a parliamentary system, each district elects a Member of Parliament (MPs) - and the MPs then choose one of their own as head of government - the Prime Minister. In Washington, members of the President's cabinet - the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and so on - cannot be members of congress. In a parliamentary system, they have to be MPs, and handing out the political plums of government ministries is one of the prime ministers principal tools of power.
And there are two ways a Prime Minister can lose the job without an election. Their own party can throw them out. That's what happened in Australia in September, when Conservative Party MPs replaced Tony Abbott. The Conservatives stay in power - but with a new Prime Minster: Malcolm Turnbull. The other way, is the motion of no confidence. The opposition somehow lures enough government MPs to form a new majority, there's a new Prime minister and a whole new government. In Vanuatu, that's happened nine times in the last five years.
