Ham Lini

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Prime Minister of Vanuatu
Ham Lini

Incumbent
Assumed office 11 December 2004
President	Kalkot Mataskelekele
Preceded by	Serge Vohor
Constituency	Pentecost, Penama

Born	08 December 1951 Pentecost, New Hebrides
Political party	VNUP

Ham Lini Vanuaroroa (born December 8, 1951) is the Prime Minister of Vanuatu. He has served in the position since December 11, 2004. He is the brother of Walter Lini, one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu. Ham Lini is the leader of the National United Party, which in the July 2004 parliamentary elections became the largest party in parliament, with 10 of 52 seats. He became a candidate for Prime Minister, but he was defeated by Serge Vohor, though Lini also had the support of the largest faction of the Vanua'aku Pati, led by outgoing Prime Minister Edward Natapei. He continued to dispute the results and lead the opposition to the Vohor government until August 20, 2004, when Vohor and Lini formed a National Unity Government, in which Vohor remained Prime Minister and Lini became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs. In December 2004, Vohor was ousted in a no confidence vote for unilaterally establishing relations with Taiwan (Republic of China), and Lini was elected prime minister by the parliament. He is an MP from Pentecost Island in Penama Province.

On March 21, 2006, Lini survived a no confidence vote in Parliament by a vote of 30 to 20. The opposition believed that some parliament members who had supported the government would defect, but few did.