| Description | Center-left, Melanesian nationalist party founded by Vanuatu's first prime minister and founding leader, Father Walter Lini, who was inaugurated on independence day, July 30, 1980. Party began as the anglophone New Hebridean Cultural Association, founded by members of the Anglican and Presbyterian clergy, teachers and British Administration bureaucrats. Party took a stronger, nativist turn when it was renamed the Vanua’aku Pati (meaning “Our land party”) in 1977, championing the rapid ending of colonial rule and promising to violently stamp out separatist movements to maintain territorial integrity post independence. Party has been led by Vanuatu's 12th prime minister (April 20, 2020 to November 4, 2020) Bob Loughman. |
