Page:Vanuatu constitution.pdf/26



CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU 95. Existing law

(1) Until otherwise provided by Parliament, all Joint Regulations and subsidiary legislation made thereunder in force immediately before the Day of Independence shall continue in operation on and after that day as if they had been made in pursuance of the Constitution and shall be construed with such adaptations as may be necessary to bring them into conformity with the Constitution.

(2) Until otherwise provided by Parliament, the British and French laws in force or applied in Vanuatu immediately before the Day of Independence shall on and after that day continue to apply to the extent that they are not expressly revoked or incompatible with the independent status of Vanuatu and wherever possible taking due account of custom.

(3) Customary law shall continue to have effect as part of the law of the Republic of Vanuatu.

1. The election of the President of the Republic shall take place within 3 weeks of the end of the term of office of the previous President.

2. (1) The electoral college may proceed to elect the President of the Republic at its first meeting if at least three-fourths of its member are present.

(2) If there is no such quorum, the electoral college shall meet again 48 hours later and may lawfully proceed to elect the President if at least two-thirds of its members are present.

3. The candidate who obtains the support of two-thirds of the members of the electoral college shall be elected President of the Republic.

1. The candidate who obtains the support of an absolute majority of the members of Parliament shall be elected Prime Minister.

2. If no candidate is elected under paragraph 1, a second ballot shall be taken but the candidate obtaining the lowest number of votes in the first ballot shall be eliminated.

3. If on the second ballot no candidate obtains the support specified in paragraph 1, further ballots shall be held, each time eliminating the candidate with the lowest vote in the preceding ballot until one candidate receives the support specified in paragraph 1, or if only two candidates remain the support of a simple majority. Rh