Vanuatu PM Natapei ousted in no confidence vote
Mr Natapei briefly lost his post in 2009 over a failure to give notice of an absence from parliament
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The prime minister of Vanuatu, Edward Natapei, has been ousted by a vote of no confidence in parliament while out of the country.
Mr Natapei has been replaced by the deputy prime minister, Sato Kilman.
Mr Natapei had left Vanuatu just hours before the vote to represent the South Pacific island state at climate change talks in Cancun, Mexico.
He had earlier pushed to suspend five MPs who were trying to mount a no confidence motion against him.
He had also clashed with MPs over his role in blocking Fiji's military ruler, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, from taking the rotating lead of regional trade group the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Mr Natapei was elected in 2008 but briefly lost his post in 2009 when he failed to give notice of an absence from parliament.
Natapei had previously lost his seat due to a paperwork error in 2009
The  of Vanuatu has lost his seat after a motion of .  was ousted after the vote, passed at 30 votes to 15, took place in parliament. Natapei was out of the country at the time of the vote, attending a climate change summit in , Mexico.

The vote took place after several members of parliament became unhappy with Natapei's decisions. He had tried to suspend five members of parliament from the house. There was also concern about his support for , the military leader of Fiji. Natapei supported Bainimarama when he took over as leader of the , the trade group of the South Pacific.

This is not the first time that Natapei has lost his seat. In 2009, he lost his post when he failed to notify parliament that he left the country. He was on an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago at the time. Natapei took the post of prime minister in 2008. , the deputy prime minister until the motion was passed, has been sworn in as Natapei's replacement.