Walter Lini

Walter Lini Hadye (* 1942 Iceland Pentecost, Vanuatu, † February 21, 1999 in Port Vila, Vanuatu) was a politician and Prime Minister of Vanuatu (1980 to 1991).

Political Activities before independence

In June 1971 he founded together with John Bennett Bani and Donald Kalpokas the " New Hebridian Culture Association ", which sought to combine the traditional lifestyles and Western influences. This association quickly developed the " New Hebrides National Party ", which was later known as " Vanua'aku Pati ".

Under his leadership, the party won the general election with difficulty in 1975. The " Vanua'aku Pati " but boycotted the 1977 elections in protest against the delay independence efforts. However, the party then formed a " Provisional People's Government ", controlled large parts of the country. After a change in French foreign policy, which provided an independence at an earlier point in view, his party agreed to form a government of national unity with its Francophone rivals.

In the elections of November 1979, the party won 62 percent of the vote and 26 of the 39 seats in the Representative Assembly. Lini himself was on November 29, 1979 Chief Minister of the Melanesian archipelago of over 80 islands and called with the exclamation " Seli Ho " ( Let us row together ) for an early independence.

Prime Minister of independent Vanuatu

As the British- French Condominium of the New Hebrides on 30 July In 1980, its independence was Walter Lini 's first prime minister. After a few weeks of independence germinated on secessionist movements, but the Lini was able to successfully fend off with the help of troops from Papua New Guinea. Lini held in his reign from 1980 to 1983, the office of Foreign Minister.

In the late 1980s tried Ati President George Sokomanu to dissolve parliament to Lini can deduct as Prime Minister. Lini, however, managed his government to stabilize again. However, in the next few years grew the opposition to his policies, so that he was forced to resign as Prime Minister on 6 September 1991.

He then founded the " National United Party " ( NUP ), a new party and held subsequent other government offices.

After the election of Donald Kalpokas, who replaced him in 1991 as Prime Minister Lini was 30 March 1998 Deputy Prime Minister in a coalition government from Kalpokas " Vanua'aku Pati " and Lini " NUP ". End of 1998, the NUP withdrew from the government and Lini was until his death the opposition leader.

Lini was a brother of the current president Kalkot Mataskelekele.