4 Mar 2009

Vanuatu opposition name Kilman as new leader

9:04 pm on 4 March 2009

Vanuatu's opposition has named former deputy prime Minister, Sato Kilman, as their leader to take over from Maxime Carlot Korman who has been the effective leader since last September's general election.

The Daily Post newspaper reports that this was announced by the speaker of parliament following a caucus meeting of the opposition that decided Mr Kilman should take over the reins as their leader because his bloc, the Alliance, controls the majority of seats in opposition.

At present the Alliance bloc has 11 MPs on one side of the opposition while the Vanuatu Republican Party of Mr Korman has six.

The newspaper reports that members of the Alliance bloc have been applying pressure for Mr Korman to step down as head of the opposition because of his approaches to the Edward Natapei-led government to join the coalition.