National United Party (Vanuatu)

The Vanuatu National United Party is a political party in Vanuatu. At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 8 out of 52 seats. It is a social democratic party which receives most of its support from English speakers. In 1991, Walter Lini who had served as prime minister of Vanuatu for 12 years as a member of the Vanua'aku Pati and lost his position after a split in the Vanua'aku Pati, joined the National United Party, soon becoming its leader. Following Walter's death in 1999, his brother Ham Lini became party leader. The party became one of the largest political parties in Vanuatu along with the Vanua'aku Party and the Union of Moderate Parties, and participated in coalitions with both at various times. In the July 2004 elections, the party won 10 of the 52 seats, and because of losses by the other major parties, it became the largest single party in Parliament. In December 2004, Ham Lini became prime minister, the first member of the Nup to take this position while a member of the party. At the 2008 elections, the NUP lost 2 seats, and received a total of 8 seats in Parliament, becoming the second largest party. Ham Lini was not able to form another government, but the National United Party became an important coalition partner in the new government formed by the Vanua'aku Party.