General elections were held in

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( ) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands), northeast of Van ...

on 27 August 1977. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents, with Toaripi Lauti who had served as chief minister of the Colony of

(1975–1978), was elected as the first prime minister following Tuvalu's independence. Voter turnout was 79%.

Background

Following a 1974 referendum, the Ellice Islands separated from the

Gilbert and Ellice Islands The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean was part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. It was a British protectorate, protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a crown colony, colony until 1 January 1 ...

. The Tuvaluan Order 1975, which took effect on 1 October 1975, recognised Tuvalu as a separate British dependency with its own government. The second stage occurred on 1 January 1976 when separate administrations were created out of the civil service of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. A new House of Assembly was established with eight members. Prior to the 1977 elections, the number was increased to twelve. The four islands with a population of over 1,000 elected two members and the other four islands elected one member.

Results

Minister Isakaia Paeniu lost his seat.Tuvalu elections
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', October 1977, p18

Elected members

Aftermath

Following the elections, Toaripi Lauti was elected as the

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 of Tuvalu, parliament and is elected by parliament in a secret ballot. Because No ...

on 1 October 1977. The House of the Assembly was renamed the

Parliament of Tuvalu The Parliament of Tuvalu (called ''Fale i Fono'' in Tuvaluan language, Tuvaluan, or ''Palamene o Tuvalu'') is the unicameral parliament, unicameral national legislature of Tuvalu. The place at which the parliament sits is called the ''Vaiaku man ...

after independence in October 1978.

References

{{Tuvaluan elections

Elections in Tuvalu

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Election and referendum articles with incomplete results