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.
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.
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Prime Ministers of Tuvalu
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Portrait
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Name<br />
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Election
!scope="colgroup" colspan="3" |Term of office
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Ministry
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Governor-General
!scope="col" rowspan="2" |Monarch
|-
!scope="col"| Took office
!scope="col"| Left office
!scope="col"| Time in office
|-
|1
|127x127px
!scope="row"|Sir Toaripi Lauti<br />
|1977
|1 October 1978
|8 September 1981
|
|Lauti Ministry<br>
| rowspan="2" |Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo
| rowspan="25" |Queen Elizabeth II
|-
| rowspan="2" |2
| rowspan="2" |127x127px
!scope="row" rowspan="2" |Tomasi Puapua<br />
| rowspan="2" |1981<br />1985
| rowspan="2" |8 September 1981
| rowspan="2" |16 October 1989
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |First Puapua Ministry<br />Second Puapua Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sir Tupua Leupena
|-
| rowspan="3" |3
| rowspan="3" |133x133px
!scope="row" rowspan="3" |Bikenibeu Paeniu<br />
| rowspan="3" |1989<br />1993
| rowspan="3" |16 October 1989
| rowspan="3" |10 December 1993
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |First Paeniu Ministry<br>
|-
|Sir Toaripi Lauti
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sir Tomu Sione
|-
| rowspan="2" |4
| rowspan="2" |124x124px
!scope="row" rowspan="2" |Sir Kamuta Latasi<br />
| rowspan="2" |1993
| rowspan="2" |10 December 1993
| rowspan="2" |24 December 1996
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Latasi Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sir Tulaga Manuella
|-
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |133x133px
!scope="row" rowspan="2" |Bikenibeu Paeniu<br />
| rowspan="2" |1993 <br />1998
| rowspan="2" |24 December 1996
| rowspan="2" |27 April 1999
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Second Paeniu Ministry<br />Third Paeniu Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="6" |Sir Tomasi Puapua
|-
|5
|130x130px
!scope="row"|Ionatana Ionatana<br />
|1998
|27 April 1999
|8 December 2000
|
|Ionatana Ministry<br>
|-
|
|127x127px
!scope="row"|Lagitupu Tuilimu
|—
|8 December 2000
|24 February 2001
|
|Tuilimu Ministry<br>
|-
|6
|133x133px
!scope="row"|Faimalaga Luka<br />
|1998
|24 February 2001
|14 December 2001
|
|Luka Ministry<br>
|-
|7
|127x127px
!scope="row"|Koloa Talake<br />
|1998
|14 December 2001
|2 August 2002
|
|Talake Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |8
| rowspan="2" |175x175px
!scope="row" rowspan="2" |Saufatu Sopoanga<br />
| rowspan="2" |2002
| rowspan="2" |2 August 2002
| rowspan="2" |27 August 2004
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Sopoanga Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |Faimalaga Luka
|-
| rowspan="2" |9
| rowspan="2" |116x116px
!scope="row" rowspan="2" |Maatia Toafa<br />
| rowspan="2" |2002
| rowspan="2" |27 August 2004
| rowspan="2" |14 August 2006
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |First Toafa Ministry<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sir Filoimea Telito
|-
| rowspan="3" |10
| rowspan="3" |133x133px
!scope="row" rowspan="3" |Apisai Ielemia<br />
| rowspan="3" |2006
| rowspan="3" |14 August 2006
| rowspan="3" |29 September 2010
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |Ielemia Ministry<br>
|-
|Sir Kamuta Latasi
|-
| rowspan="4" |Sir Iakoba Italeli
|-
|
|116x116px
!scope="row"|Maatia Toafa<br />
|2010
|29 September 2010
|24 December 2010
|
|Second Toafa Ministry<br>
|-
|11
|101x101px
!scope="row"|Willy Telavi<br />
|2010
|24 December 2010
|1 August 2013
|
|Telavi Ministry<br>
|-
| 12
| 139x139px
!scope="row"|Enele Sopoaga<br />
| 2010<br />2015
| 1 August 2013
| 19 September 2019
|
| Sopoaga Ministry<br>
|-
| 13
| 123x123px
! scope="row" |Kausea Natano<br />
| 2019
| 19 September 2019
| 26 February 2024
|
| Natano Ministry<br>
|Mrs. Teniku Talesi,<br />Samuelu Teo
|-
| 14
| 123x123px
!scope="row" | Feleti Teo<br />
| 2024
| 26 February 2024
| Incumbent
|
| Teo Ministry<br>
| 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.