View source for Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

{{Short description|Head of government of Papua New Guinea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Prime Minister
| native_name = {{nativename|tpi|Praim Minista bilong Papua Niugini}}
| body = the Independent State of Papua New Guinea
| insignia = National emblem of Papua New Guinea.svg
| insigniasize = 150px
| insigniacaption = [[Emblem of Papua New Guinea]]
| flag = Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg
| flagsize = 120px
| flagcaption = [[Flag of Papua New Guinea]]
| flagborder = Yes
| image = James Marape - 2023 (52829685765) (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 
| incumbent = [[James Marape]]
| incumbentsince = 30 May 2019
| style = [[The Honourable]]
| abbreviation = PM
| precursor = [[Chief Minister of Papua and New Guinea]]
| member_of = {{hlist|[[National Parliament of Papua New Guinea|Parliament]]|[[Cabinet of Papua New Guinea|Cabinet]]}}
| residence = 
| seat = [[Port Moresby]]
| status = [[Head of government]]
| salary = [[Papua New Guinea Kina|PGK]]346,037/US$ 97,201 annually (2015){{efn|Equivalent to [[Australian dollar|AU$]]160,815, 15 January 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.pg/uploads/SALARIES-AND-REMUNERATION-COMMISSION-2017.pdf |title=Salaries and Remuneration Commission – Determinations – 2015 |last= |first= |date=15 January 2015 |website=parliament.gov.pg |publisher=[[National Parliament of Papua New Guinea|Papua New Guinea National Parliament]] |access-date= |quote= }}</ref>
| nominator = [[National Parliament of Papua New Guinae|National Parliament]]
| appointer = [[Governor-General of Papua New Guinea|Governor-General]]
| termlength = No fixed term length
| formation = 16 September 1975
| inaugural = [[Michael Somare]]
| deputy = Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
| website = https://pmnec.gov.pg/
}}
{{Politics of Papua New Guinea}}

The '''prime minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea''' ({{langx|tpi|Prai Minista bilong Papua Niugini}}) is [[Papua New Guinea]]'s [[head of government]], elected by the [[National Parliament of Papua New Guinea|National Parliament]] and formally appointed by the [[Governor-General of Papua New Guinea]]. The prime minister serves as the head of his party, the head of the coalition government, and the chairman of the National Executive Council.

==Constitutional basis==
The prime minister is chosen by the [[National Parliament of Papua New Guinea|National Parliament]] and then formally appointed by the governor-general. Section 142 of the [[Constitution of Papua New Guinea]] provides for the election of a prime minister to occur at the first meeting of parliament after a general election. In the event of a vacancy in the office, the [[Speaker of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea|speaker of the national parliament]] must immediately call a meeting of parliament if it is not in session and proceed to the election of a new prime minister.<ref name=s142>{{cite wikisource|wslink=Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea|chapter=Part VI|plaintitle=Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, section 142}}</ref>

Where the parliament passes a [[motion of no confidence]] in the prime minister in accordance with section 145 of the constitution, the governor-general must dismiss the prime minister from office. The prime minister may also be removed by the governor-general if the parliament determines they are unfit for office on health grounds,<ref name=s142/> or may resign voluntarily in accordance with section 146 of the constitution.<ref>{{cite wikisource|wslink=Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea|chapter=Part VI|plaintitle=Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, section 146}}</ref>

==History==
The office of Prime Minister was preceded by the [[Chief Minister of Papua and New Guinea]].

===2011–2012 constitutional crisis===
{{main article|2011–2012 Papua New Guinean constitutional crisis}}

From December 2011, the office was disputed between [[Peter O'Neill]] of the [[People's National Congress Party]] and Sir [[Michael Somare]] of the [[National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)|National Alliance Party]]; the latter eventually supported O'Neill as Prime Minister on 3 August 2012, thus ending the constitutional crisis.

== Department of the Prime Minister ==
The Department of the Prime Minister has the task of providing administrative services to the restoration exercise as well as advising the Prime Minister and other government leaders. After a July 1995 cabinet reshuffle by [[Julius Chan]], functions of the department were expanded.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Department of Prime Minister and NEC |url=https://www.destinationpng.com/political-legal-structure/department-of-prime-minister-and-nec/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Destination PNG |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Office==
The office of the prime minister and other key government offices were initially located in [[Konedobu]] before being relocated to [[Waigani]] shortly after independence in 1975. Since April 2024, the Prime Minister's Office has been located at the newly-constructed Melanesia Haus, located opposite the main entrance to the [[National Parliament House, Port Moresby|National Parliament House]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PM's office relocated to Melanesia Haus |url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/pms-office-relocated-to-melanesia-haus/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PM opens Melanesia Haus |url=https://www.postcourier.com.pg/pm-opens-melanesia-haus/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Papua New Guinea Post-Courier |date=17 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==List of prime ministers of Papua New Guinea (1975–present)==

; Political parties

{{legend|{{party color|Pangu Pati}}|[[Pangu Pati]] (Pangu)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend|{{party color|People's Progress Party}}|[[People's Progress Party]] (PPP)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend|{{party color|People's Democratic Movement}}|[[People's Democratic Movement]] (PDM)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend|{{party color|People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)}}|[[People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)|People's National Congress ]] (PNC)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend|{{party color|National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)}}|[[National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)|National Alliance Party]] (NAP)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

; Status

{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes acting prime minister}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan=2|{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan=2|Portrait
! rowspan=2 width=150|Name<br>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! rowspan="2" |Election
! colspan="3" |Term of office
! rowspan=2|Political party
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Pangu Pati}}; color:white"| 1
| [[File:Sir Michael Somare - 2009.jpg|127x127px]]
| [[Michael Somare]]<br>{{small|(1936–2021)}}
|[[1977 Papua New Guinean general election|1977]]
| 16 September 1975
| 11 March 1980
| {{ayd|1975|9|16|1980|3|11}}
| [[Pangu Pati|Pangu]]<ref name=statedept>{{cite web |publisher=[[US State Department]] |date=April 2007 |url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2797.htm |title= Background Note: Papua New Guinea |access-date=2007-08-14 }}</ref><ref name=dorney>{{cite book |last = Dorney |first = Sean |author-link = Sean Dorney |title = Papua New Guinea: people, politics and history since 1975 |publisher = ABC Books |date = 2001 |isbn = 0-7333-0945-3}}</ref><ref name=may>{{cite book |last = May |first = R.J. |title = State and society in Papua New Guinea: the first twenty five years |publisher = Crawford House Publishing |date = 2001 |isbn = 1-86333-204-9}}</ref>
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Progress Party}}; color:white"| 2
| [[File:Sir Julius Chan (cropped).jpg|143x143px]]
| [[Julius Chan|Sir Julius Chan]]<br>{{small|(1939–2025)}}
|—
| 11 March 1980
| 2 August 1982
| {{ayd|1980|3|11|1982|8|2}}
| [[People's Progress Party|PPP]]<ref name=statedept /><ref name=dorney />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Pangu Pati}}; color:white"| (1)
| [[File:Sir Michael Somare - 2009.jpg|129x129px]]
| [[Michael Somare]]<br>{{small|(1936–2021)}}
|[[1982 Papua New Guinean general election|1982]]
| 2 August 1982
| 21 November 1985
| {{ayd|1982|8|2|1985|11|21}}
| [[Pangu Pati|Pangu]]<ref name=statedept /><ref name=dorney /><ref name=may />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Democratic Movement}}; color:white"| 3
| [[File:Paias Wingti in Hagen (cropped).jpg|137x137px]]
| [[Paias Wingti]]<br>{{small|(born 1951)}}
|[[1987 Papua New Guinean general election|1987]]
| 21 November 1985
| 4 July 1988
| {{ayd|1985|11|21|1988|7|4}}
| [[People's Democratic Movement|PDM]]<ref name=statedept /><ref name=dorney />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Pangu Pati}}; color:white"| 4
| [[File:Rabbie Namaliu 2012 (cropped).png|131x131px]]
| [[Rabbie Namaliu|Sir Rabbie Namaliu]]<br>{{small|(1947–2023)}}
|—
| 4 July 1988
| 17 July 1992
| {{ayd|1988|7|4|1992|7|17}}
| [[Pangu Pati|Pangu]]<ref name=statedept /><ref name=dorney />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Democratic Movement}}; color:white"| (3)
| [[File:Paias Wingti in Hagen (cropped).jpg|137x137px]]
| [[Paias Wingti]]<br>{{small|(born 1951)}}
|[[1992 Papua New Guinean general election|1992]]
| 17 July 1992
| 30 August 1994
| {{ayd|1992|7|17|1994|8|30}}
| [[People's Democratic Movement|PDM]]<ref name=dorney />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Progress Party}}; color:white"| (2)
| [[File:Sir Julius Chan (cropped).jpg|143x143px]]
| [[Julius Chan|Sir Julius Chan]]<br>{{small|(1939–2025)}}
|—
| 30 August 1994
| 27 March 1997
| {{ayd|1994|8|30|1997|3|27}}
| [[People's Progress Party|PPP]]<ref name=dorney /><ref name=may />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Progress Party}}; color:white"| 5
| [[File:No image.png|75px]]
| [[John Giheno]]<br>{{small|(1949–2017)}}
|—
| 27 March 1997
| 2 June 1997
| {{ayd|1997|3|27|1997|6|2}}
| [[People's Progress Party|PPP]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Progress Party}}; color:white"| (2)
| [[File:Sir Julius Chan (cropped).jpg|143x143px]]
| [[Julius Chan|Sir Julius Chan]]<br>{{small|(1939–2025)}}
|—
| 2 June 1997
| 22 July 1997
| {{ayd|1997|6|2|1997|7|22}}
| [[People's Progress Party|PPP]]<ref name=dorney /><ref name=may />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)}}; color:white"| 6
| [[File:Bill Skate April 1998.gif|133x133px]]
| [[Bill Skate]]<br>{{small|(1953–2006)}}
|[[1997 Papua New Guinean general election|1997]]
| 22 July 1997
| 14 July 1999
| {{ayd|1997|7|22|1999|7|14}}
| [[People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)|PNC]]<ref name=dorney /><ref name=may />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's Democratic Movement}}; color:white"| 7
| [[File:Mekere Morauta 2000.jpg|130x130px]]
| [[Mekere Morauta|Sir Mekere Morauta]]<br>{{small|(1946–2020)}}
|—
| 14 July 1999
| 5 August 2002
| {{ayd|1999|7|14|2002|8|5}}
| [[People's Democratic Movement|PDM]]<ref name=may />
|-
! style="background:{{party color|National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)}}; color:white"| (1)
| [[File:Sir Michael Somare - 2009.jpg|127x127px]]
| [[Michael Somare|Sir Michael Somare]]<br>{{small|(1936–2021)}}
|[[2002 Papua New Guinean general election|2002]]<br>[[2007 Papua New Guinean general election|2007]]
| 5 August 2002
| 4 April 2011
| {{ayd|2002|8|5|2011|8|2}}
| [[National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)|NAP]]<ref name=statedept />
|- style="background:#e6e6aa;"
! rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)}}; color:white"| —
| rowspan=2|[[File:Samuel Abal 2009 (cropped).jpg|154x154px]]
| rowspan=2|[[Sam Abal]]<br>{{small|(born 1958)}}<br>{{small|(acting)}}
|—
| 13 December 2010
| 17 January 2011
| {{ayd|2010|12|13|2011|1|17}}
| rowspan=2|[[National Alliance Party (Papua New Guinea)|NAP]]<ref name=statedept />
|-
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"|—
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| 4 April 2011
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| 2 August 2011
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| {{ayd|2011|4|4|2011|8|2}}
|-
! style="background:{{party color|People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)}}; color:white"| 8
| [[File:Peter O'Neill May 2015.jpg|133x133px]]
| [[Peter O'Neill]]<br>{{small|(born 1965)}}
|[[2012 Papua New Guinean general election|2012]]<br>[[2017 Papua New Guinean general election|2017]]
| 2 August 2011
| 29 May 2019
| {{ayd|2011|8|2|2019|5|29}}
| [[People's National Congress (Papua New Guinea)|PNC]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Pangu Pati}}; color:white"| 9
| [[File:Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on July 27, 2023 - 230727-D-TT977-0140 (cropped).jpg|133x133px]]
| [[James Marape]]<br>{{small|(born 1971)}}
|[[2022 Papua New Guinean general election|2022]]
| 30 May 2019
| Incumbent
| {{ayd|2019|5|30}}
| [[Pangu Pati|Pangu]]
|}

==Timeline==
This is a [[Bar chart|graphical]] '''lifespan timeline of prime ministers of Papua New Guinea'''. They are listed in order of office (Somare, Chan, and Wingti are shown in order of their first premierships).

<div style="overflow:auto">
{{#tag:timeline|
Define $width = 1000 # 4 pixels per year ($end - $start) × 4
Define $warning = 880 # $width - 120
Define $height = 350 # 9 × 25 + 150
Define $footnote = 800 # $width  - 400

Define $start = 1934
Define $end = {{CURRENTYEAR}}
Define $now = {{CURRENTYEAR}}

ImageSize  = width:$width height:$height
PlotArea   = right:10 left:1 bottom:80 top:60
Period     = from:$start till:$end
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
Legend = orientation:vertical columns:1 left:0 top:50 columnwidth:500

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     id:bg                 value:white
     id:lightline          value:rgb(0.8, 0.8, 0.8)
     id:lighttext          value:rgb(0.5, 0.5, 0.5)
     id:LIFESPAN           value:rgb(0.88, 0.90, 0.70) Legend: Lifespan
     id:PM_PP              value:rgb(0.31, 0.76, 0) Legend: Pangu_Pati
     id:PM_PPP             value:rgb(0.92, 0.35, 0.29) Legend: PPP
     id:PM_PDM             value:rgb(0.06, 0.88, 0.95) Legend: PDM
     id:PM_PNC             value:rgb(0.16, 0.15, 0.21) Legend: PNC
     id:PM_NAP             value:rgb(1, 0.84, 0) Legend: NAP
     id:NAME               value:rgb(0.15, 0.13, 0.05)
     id:TODAY              value:green

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg
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PlotData=
  bar:1 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1936 till:1975 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Michael Somare]]
    color:PM_PP
    from:1975 till:1980
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1980 till:1982
    color:PM_PP
    from:1982 till:1985
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1985 till:2002
    color:PM_NAP
    from:2002 till:2011
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:2011 till:2021

  bar:2 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1939 till:1980 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Julius Chan]]
    color:PM_PPP
    from:1980 till:1982
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1982 till:1994
    color:PM_PPP
    from:1994 till:1997
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1997 till:1997.4
    color:PM_PPP
    from:1997.4 till:1997.8
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1997.8 till:2025

  bar:3 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1951 till:1985 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Paias Wingti]]
    color:PM_PDM
    from:1985 till:1988
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1988 till:1992
    color:PM_PDM
    from:1992 till:1994
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1994 till:$now

  bar:4 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1947 till:1988 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Rabbie Namaliu]]
    color:PM_PP
    from:1988 till:1992
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1992 till:2023

  bar:5 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1949 till:1997 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[John Giheno]]
    color:PM_PPP
    from:1997 till:1997.4
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1997.4 till:2017

  bar:6 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1953 till:1997.8 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Bill Skate]]
    color:PM_PNC
    from:1997.8 till:1999
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:1999 till:2006

  bar:7 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1946 till:1999 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Mekere Morauta]]
    color:PM_PDM
    from:1999 till:2002
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:2002 till:2020

  bar:8 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1965 till:2011 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Peter O'Neill]]
    color:PM_PNC
    from:2011 till:2019
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:2019 till:$now

  bar:9 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:1971 till:2019 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[James Marape]]
    color:PM_PP
    from:2019 till:$now

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  textcolor:green
  pos:($warning,30)
  text:Updated {{CURRENTMONTH}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}

TextData =
   pos:(200,$height)
   fontsize:L
   textcolor:black
   text:"Lifespan and terms of office of each Papua New Guinean Prime Minister"
}}</div>

==See also==
*[[Monarch of Papua New Guinea]]
*[[Governor-General of Papua New Guinea]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{-}}
{{Prime ministers of Papua New Guinea}}
{{Papua New Guinea topics}}
{{Heads of state and government of Oceania}}
{{Prime Minister}}

[[Category:Lists of prime ministers by country|Papua New Guinea, Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Papua New Guinea| ]]
[[Category:Government of Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Papua New Guinea politics-related lists|Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Papua New Guinea]]