Who runs local government in Vanuatu?

Vanuatu has six elected provincial councils and three municipal councils, and its Constitution gives custom chiefs a formal place. The Malvatumauri (National Council of Chiefs) advises on custom and land, and the Constitution says all land belongs to its indigenous custom owners. Since 2013, customary institutions (nakamal) rather than courts decide who owns custom land.

Republic of Vanuatu · Unitary parliamentary republic · Oceania

The levels of government below the nation

Level	How it is chosen	What it does
Provinces (6: Torba, Sanma, Penama, Malampa, Shefa, Tafea)	Provincial councillors elected for four years, plus members appointed by the minister to represent chiefs, women, youth and churches	Rural services and planning; provinces are divided into area councils led by area secretaries.
Municipalities (3: Port Vila, Luganville, Lenakel)	Elected municipal councils; mayor chosen by council	Urban services, markets, rates.
Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs (national)	Custom chiefs elected through district councils of chiefs; elections supervised by the Electoral Commission	Advises Parliament and government on custom, culture, language and land.

Three questions about local power in Vanuatu

Are local leaders elected?

Provincial and municipal councillors are elected; some provincial members are appointed to represent chiefs, women, youth and churches. Malvatumauri members are chosen through chiefs' councils.

Which laws set up local government?

Provinces, municipalities and the Malvatumauri are all in the Constitution. Custom land decisions by nakamal are formal under the 2013 Act. Village chiefs' daily authority is mostly custom.

Who are local leaders accountable to?

Councillors face voters. The Ministry of Internal Affairs oversees councils. Chiefs answer to their communities and custom; their land decisions can be reviewed within the customary system.

Traditional and customary authority

Chiefs lead communities through the nakamal (the meeting house and its customary council). Chiefly titles are gained in different ways on different islands, by inheritance or by status-grading ceremonies. The Constitution says land belongs to custom owners and that custom is the basis of ownership, and the Custom Land Management Act 2013 made nakamal and custom area land tribunals responsible for deciding land ownership instead of the courts. Churches are also very influential.

Community and neighbourhood power

Village chiefs' councils, church groups and women's groups organise community work. Area councils bring together chiefs, women and youth to plan local development.

Points to know

The Constitution requires local government councils to include representatives of custom chiefs.
Presidents of the provincial councils join MPs in the electoral college that chooses Vanuatu's President.
Voter turnout in the 2017 local elections was 54%.

Local terms

Malvatumauri: The National Council of Chiefs.
Nakamal: A meeting house and the customary council that meets there.
Custom owners: Indigenous groups who own land under custom.

Sources

Constitution of Vanuatu 1980 (rev. 2023) (English text), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
The Local Government System in Vanuatu: Country Profile 2017–18, Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), checked 14 October 2026