Strategically Located Vanuatu Heads for the Polls After Court Upholds Parliament’s Dissolution

An aerial view of Erakor island and the coastline of Port Vila, Vanuatu on Dec. 7, 2019. Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Pacific nation of Vanuatu will go to the polls next month after the Parliament was dissolved so that Prime Minister Bob Loughman could avoid a no-confidence vote.

Loughman has faced pressure for months after attempting to change the Constitution to extend his government’s term limit, the move also comes amid an ongoing influence push by Beijing in the region.