Vanuatu Parliament Dissolved as Prime Minister Tries to Avoid No-Confidence Vote

Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman speaks at a panel discussion during the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Suva, Fiji on July 12, 2022. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Vanuatu’s president has dissolved the Pacific nation’s Parliament hours before a no-confidence motion was brought against Prime Minister Bob Loughman.

The latest incident continues a tumultuous few weeks for democratic institutions in the South Pacific—already susceptible to influence from Beijing.