On 12 October 1996, he was briefly kidnapped by members of the Vanuatu Mobile Force, the paramilitary national defense service, which was protesting against unpaid funding.

His prime minister, Maxime Carlot Korman, wished to maintain close and friendly relations with France, while himself also opposing nuclear tests.

[2] At the end of 1997, Maxime Carlot Korman, now a simple deputy, tabled a censure motion in Parliament in an attempt to dismiss the government of Prime Minister Serge Vohor.

President Léyé spoke on November 27 at the request of Serge Vohor and dissolved the Parliament, preventing the vote on the motion.

The early elections caused by this dissolution were lost by Serge Vohor; Donald Kalpokas of Vanua'aku Pati became the new prime minister.