Politics of Tuvalu

Politics of Tuvalu
Government
Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
Elections
Foreign relations
flag Tuvalu portal

The politics of Tuvalu takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the monarch is the head of state, represented by the governor-general, while the prime minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government.

The Constitution of Tuvalu states that it is "the supreme law of Tuvalu" and that "all other laws shall be interpreted and applied subject to this Constitution"; it sets out the Principles of the Bill of Rights and the Protection of the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.[1] In 1986 the Constitution adopted upon independence was amended in order to give attention to Tuvaluan custom and tradition as well as the aspirations and values of the Tuvaluan people.[2][3] The changes placed greater emphasis on Tuvaluan community values rather than Western concepts of individual freedom.[2] The Constitution of Tuvalu Act 2023,[4][5] further addressed the role of Tuvaluan culture, and also referred to the climate crisis, and Tuvalu’s statehood and national boundaries.[4]

Tuvalu follows the Westminster system of representative democracy although Tuvalu is a non-partisan democracy and elections in Tuvalu take place without reference to formal political parties.[6] At the date of independence there were 12 members of the Parliament of Tuvalu.[7] Amendments to the Electoral Provisions (Parliament) Act in 1999 & 2000 increased the membership of parliament to 15 MPs.[8][9] The Electoral Provisions (Parliament) Amendment Act 2019 increased the number of elected representatives for the electorate of Nukulaelae to become 2 MPs. So that each of the 8 island electorates is represented by 2 MPs, with Niulakita being represented by the MPs from Niutao.

The 16 members of the current parliament are elected from eight two-seat constituencies via plurality block voting.[10][11][12]

Tuvaluans participated in the political institutions of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony during the transition to self-determination. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration.[13] As a consequence of the referendum the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence.[14]

In 2008 Tuvaluans rejected a constitutional referendum that proposed replacing the queen of Tuvalu, with an elected president as the head of state.

  1. ^ "Constitution of Tuvalu" (PDF). Government of Tuvalu. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b Levine, Stephen (1992). "Constitutional Change in Tuvalu". Australian Journal of Political Science. 27 (3): 492–509. doi:10.1080/00323269208402211.
  3. ^ Farran, Sue (2006). "Obstacle to Human Rights? Considerations from the South Pacific" (PDF). Journal of Legal Pluralism: 77–105. doi:10.1080/07329113.2006.10756592. S2CID 143975144.
  4. ^ a b Simon Kofe and Jess Marinaccio (21 September 2023). "Tuvalu Constitution updated: culture, climate change and decolonisation". DevPolicyBlog - Development Policy Centre. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  5. ^ "EDO's expert assistance to Tuvalu Constitutional Reform Project: Interview with Dr Bal Kama". Environmental Defenders Office. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)" (PDF). Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1981. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1998. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  8. ^ Clements, Quiton (December 2000). "Tuvalu Legislative Needs Assessment". UNDP. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ^ Paulson Panapa & Jon Fraenkel (2008). "The Loneliness of the Pro-Government Backbencher and the Precariousness of Simple Majority Rule in Tuvalu" (PDF). Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Election results". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Electoral system". archive.ipu.org. Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  13. ^ Nohlen, D, Grotz, F & Hartmann, C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p831 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  14. ^ Tito Isala (1983). "Chapter 20, Secession and Independence". In Laracy, Hugh (ed.). Tuvalu: A History. University of the South Pacific/Government of Tuvalu. pp. 153–177.