General elections were held in the New Hebrides on 14 November 1979 for the seats in Representative Assembly, the last before independence the following year.
The result was a victory for the Vanua'aku Pati, which won 25 of the 39 seats, with its partner party Natui Tanno winning one.
[3] After it was announced that the Vanua'aku Pati had also won a majority on the regional assembly election of Espiritu Santo were announced, supporters of Nagriamel and Tabwemasana took to the streets with weapons to tell immigrants to leave the island.
[5] On 29 November the Representative Assembly elected Walter Lini as Chief Minister.
Lini received 26 votes, defeating Gérard Leymang who received three; three members abstained and seven MHAs from Espiritu Santo boycotted the session, claiming there had been electoral fraud.