Post-Condominium Politics
Since 1980 the task of the government of Vanuatu has been two fold: to foster a sense of national unity in the political sense, and secondly to promote economic development. Given the strong feelings of enmity and suspicion which pitted anglophones against francophones, neither has been an easy task.
For eleven years the government of Vanuatu was led by Prime Minister Walter Lini and his Vanuaaku Party. A parliamentary system of government was followed, and both English and French were constitutionally protected as official languages. (Bislama served as the national language.) Francophone parties in parliament, particularly the UMP, constituted initial opposition to the Vanuaaku Party. For a time, UMP members were suspended from parliament on account of their boycott.
Prime Minister Lini’s heavy-handed style of leadership fomented dissension within his own ranks. When President of the Republic George Sokamanu–a former Lini confidant–dissolved the government and swore in Maxime Carlot as its new head, both were arrested and jailed.
In 1991 the Vanuaaku Party split, and Lini was forced to form his own party. In elections of that year only the UMP, the party originally formed by francophones and headed by Maxime Carlot, was able to patch together a coalition and form a new government. Upon becoming prime minister, Carlot added the traditional name Korman to become Prime Minister Maxime Carlot Korman.
While stressing the need to redress the imbalance which a decade of anti-francophone discrimination had created, Prime Minister Carlot emphasized “moderation” in his policies. Vanuatu’s staunch support for liberation movements in New Caledonia, its expulsion of successive French ambassadors, its flirting with Libya, and its anti-American nuclear free Pacific stance were to be reversed.
Domestically, the socialist bent to Lini’s Melanesian path of development was to be replaced by a more free market, openly capitalistic policy. Reconciliation with the former secessionists- -begun under Lini when, shortly before losing power, he released Jimmy Stephens from prison–was to proceed even more strongly.
With Prime Minister Carlot Korman (Francophone)
Foreign Policy
During the Lini era, foreign policy was as cool to France as it was warm to the other nations of the South Pacific Forum. The Vanuaaku Party staunchly endorsed the principle of independence for French-held New Caledonia. It also maintained strong relations with Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, which together constituted the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
“The most important thing is to ensure that Vanuatu be an independent nation in the South Pacific region. And Vanuatu needs to be in the forefront of world languages, international languages in the South Pacific. By the very presence of Vanuatu the French language will become the property of all the countries of the South Pacific region. I think that in the United States this is how things developed. They chose the word well — the United States of America. I think that one day the leaders of the Pacific will open their eyes to realize that there is perhaps another way to proceed. Perhaps a federation.”
Maxime Carlot Korman on Vanuatu’s Role in the Pacific
With the UMP accession to power there was a noticeable tilt towards France. French paratroopers fell from the skies during independence celebrations and a full ambassador has been warmly received. Australia and New Zealand nevertheless remain important actors in Vanuatu’s foreign policy.
Lini’s joining of a nuclear free zone caused friction with the United States, as did flirtation during the 1970’s with Libya. But rapprochement with the U.S. has also proceeded apace since Lini was replaced.