# Prime Minister of Tuvalu

The prime minister of Tuvalu is the country's head of government. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the prime minister must always be a member of the parliament and is elected by parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of parliament can be nominated for the role.
Part V, section 62 of the Constitution of Tuvalu describes the vesting of the executive authority:
    (1) The executive authority of Tuvalu is primarily vested in the Sovereign, and the Governor-General as the representative of the Sovereign.
    (2) The executive authority so vested in the Sovereign shall be exercised in accordance with section 53 (performance of functions by the Head of State).
Following the parliamentary vote, the governor-general of Tuvalu is responsible for swearing in as the prime minister the person who commands the confidence of a majority of members of parliament.
Part V of the Constitution establishes the executive authority of Tuvalu and confirms that while the Prime Minister is the head of government, executive power is exercised by ministerial government, with Part V, section 67 to 69 establishing the role of the cabinet.
The office of prime minister was established when Tuvalu gained independence in 1978. However, the post is sometimes considered a continuation of the earlier office of chief minister, created in 1975. If the prime minister dies, as has happened on one occasion, the deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister until a new one is elected by parliament. The prime minister can lose his office by resigning, being defeated in a motion of no confidence by parliament, or losing his seat in a parliamentary election.
Part V, Section 63 of the Constitution of Tuvalu establishes the office of Prime Minister. Under section 64, the Prime Minister is elected by the members of parliament, with sections 64 to 67 describing what happens if the office of the Prime Minister becomes vacant, the removal from office of an incapacitated Prime Minister, the process for the suspension of the Prime Minister, and the effect of removal or suspension of the Prime Minister.
Until the Second Toafa Ministry in 2010, the prime minister also had the role of foreign minister. Enele Sopoaga was the foreign minister in the short-lived Second Toafa Ministry. In subsequent ministries, foreign affairs was another minister's responsibility in the cabinet.
Several former prime ministers have been appointed the governor-general of Tuvalu.
Feleti Teo was appointed as prime minister on 26 February 2024, after he was elected unopposed by the parliament.

## List of prime ministers

Toaripi Lauti was the Chief Minister of the Ellice Islands from 1975 to 1978 when Tuvalu became an independent country. He became the first Prime Minister of Tuvalu after that.
Prime Ministers of Tuvalu :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Ministry | Governor-General | Monarch |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ministry | Governor-General | Monarch |
| 1 | | Sir Toaripi Lauti (1928–2014) | 1977 | 1 October 1978 | 8 September 1981 | 2 years, 342 days | Lauti Ministry 1st Ministry | Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 2 | | Tomasi Puapua (born 1938) | 1981 1985 | 8 September 1981 | 16 October 1989 | 8 years, 38 days | First Puapua Ministry Second Puapua Ministry 2nd Ministry | Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 2 | | Tomasi Puapua (born 1938) | 1981 1985 | 8 September 1981 | 16 October 1989 | 8 years, 38 days | First Puapua Ministry Second Puapua Ministry 2nd Ministry | Sir Tupua Leupena | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 3 | | Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 1956) | 1989 1993 (Sep) | 16 October 1989 | 10 December 1993 | 4 years, 55 days | First Paeniu Ministry 3rd Ministry | Sir Tupua Leupena | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 3 | | Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 1956) | 1989 1993 (Sep) | 16 October 1989 | 10 December 1993 | 4 years, 55 days | First Paeniu Ministry 3rd Ministry | Sir Toaripi Lauti | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 3 | | Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 1956) | 1989 1993 (Sep) | 16 October 1989 | 10 December 1993 | 4 years, 55 days | First Paeniu Ministry 3rd Ministry | Sir Tomu Sione | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 4 | | Sir Kamuta Latasi (born 1936) | 1993 (Nov) | 10 December 1993 | 24 December 1996 | 3 years, 14 days | Latasi Ministry 4th Ministry | Sir Tomu Sione | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 4 | | Sir Kamuta Latasi (born 1936) | 1993 (Nov) | 10 December 1993 | 24 December 1996 | 3 years, 14 days | Latasi Ministry 4th Ministry | Sir Tulaga Manuella | Queen Elizabeth II |
| (3) | | Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 1956) | 1993 (Nov) 1998 | 24 December 1996 | 27 April 1999 | 2 years, 124 days | Second Paeniu Ministry Third Paeniu Ministry 5th Ministry | Sir Tulaga Manuella | Queen Elizabeth II |
| (3) | | Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 1956) | 1993 (Nov) 1998 | 24 December 1996 | 27 April 1999 | 2 years, 124 days | Second Paeniu Ministry Third Paeniu Ministry 5th Ministry | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 5 | | Ionatana Ionatana (1938–2000) | 1998 | 27 April 1999 | 8 December 2000 | 1 year, 225 days | Ionatana Ministry 6th Ministry | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Acting | | Lagitupu Tuilimu | — | 8 December 2000 | 24 February 2001 | 78 days | Tuilimu Ministry 6th Ministry (Cont.) | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 6 | | Faimalaga Luka (1940–2005) | 1998 | 24 February 2001 | 14 December 2001 | 293 days | Luka Ministry 7th Ministry | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 7 | | Koloa Talake (1934–2008) | 1998 | 14 December 2001 | 2 August 2002 | 231 days | Talake Ministry 8th Ministry | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 8 | | Saufatu Sopoanga (1952–2020) | 2002 | 2 August 2002 | 27 August 2004 | 2 years, 25 days | Sopoanga Ministry 9th Ministry | Sir Tomasi Puapua | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 8 | | Saufatu Sopoanga (1952–2020) | 2002 | 2 August 2002 | 27 August 2004 | 2 years, 25 days | Sopoanga Ministry 9th Ministry | Faimalaga Luka | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 9 | | Maatia Toafa (born 1954) | 2002 | 27 August 2004 | 14 August 2006 | 1 year, 352 days | First Toafa Ministry 10th Ministry | Faimalaga Luka | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 9 | | Maatia Toafa (born 1954) | 2002 | 27 August 2004 | 14 August 2006 | 1 year, 352 days | First Toafa Ministry 10th Ministry | Sir Filoimea Telito | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 10 | | Apisai Ielemia (1955–2018) | 2006 | 14 August 2006 | 29 September 2010 | 4 years, 46 days | Ielemia Ministry 11th Ministry | Sir Filoimea Telito | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 10 | | Apisai Ielemia (1955–2018) | 2006 | 14 August 2006 | 29 September 2010 | 4 years, 46 days | Ielemia Ministry 11th Ministry | Sir Kamuta Latasi | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 10 | | Apisai Ielemia (1955–2018) | 2006 | 14 August 2006 | 29 September 2010 | 4 years, 46 days | Ielemia Ministry 11th Ministry | Sir Iakoba Italeli | Queen Elizabeth II |
| (9) | | Maatia Toafa (born 1954) | 2010 | 29 September 2010 | 24 December 2010 | 86 days | Second Toafa Ministry 12th Ministry | Sir Iakoba Italeli | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 11 | | Willy Telavi (born 1954) | 2010 | 24 December 2010 | 1 August 2013 | 2 years, 220 days | Telavi Ministry 13th Ministry | Sir Iakoba Italeli | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 12 | | Enele Sopoaga (born 1956) | 2010 2015 | 1 August 2013 | 19 September 2019 | 6 years, 49 days | Sopoaga Ministry 14th Ministry | Sir Iakoba Italeli | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 13 | | Kausea Natano (born 1957) | 2019 | 19 September 2019 | 26 February 2024 | 4 years, 160 days | Natano Ministry 15th Ministry | Mrs. Teniku Talesi, Samuelu Teo | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 14 | | Feleti Teo (born 1962) | 2024 | 26 February 2024 | Incumbent | 342 days | Teo Ministry 16th Ministry | Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani | King Charles III |
Notes
* ^ Tuilimu served as acting prime minister following the death of Ionatana.
* ^ Sir Iakoba Italeli resigned as Governor-General on 22 August 2019 to contest a seat in parliament in the 2019 general election.
* ^ Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was appointed as Governor-General on 29 September 2021, during the term of prime minister Kausea Natano
* ^ King Charles III acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, during the term of prime minister Kausea Natano.