24 Facts About Ludwig Scotty

Ludwig Derangadage Scotty was born on 20 June 1948 and is a Nauruan politician who twice served as President of Nauru and was Speaker of Parliament five times between 2000 and 2016.

Ludwig Scotty served as president from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003 and again from 22 June 2004 until his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007.

Ludwig Scotty was elected as president in 2003, again from November 2010 to April 2013, and from June 2013 to June 2016.

On 15 March 1983 he was first elected to the Parliament for his district Anbar; in his longtime tenure as parliament member Ludwig Scotty was the chairman of the Bank of Nauru, the Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation and in the board of directors of Air Nauru.

Ludwig Scotty served as Speaker of Parliament from April 2000 to March 2001, May 2001 to December 2002, February 2004 to April 2004, November 2010 to April 2013, and June 2013 to July 2016, while representing the Anabar district.

Ludwig Scotty was appointed as Minister Assisting the President of Nauru in the cabinet of Derog Gioura from March 2003 to May 2003.

Ludwig Scotty was ousted in a vote of no confidence in August 2003 and was replaced as president by Rene Harris.

Ludwig Scotty spent a short period in Opposition from August 2003 until June 2004, remaining a member of the Parliament of Nauru.

Ludwig Scotty returned as president on 22 June 2004 after a member of Harris's faction of the Parliament of Nauru defected.

Ludwig Scotty was re-elected to Parliament in elections in October 2004, and most of his allies did well.

Ludwig Scotty's government implemented major reforms to restore the country's economy.

The liberal use of Parliamentary no-confidence motions, the occasion of many crises of government over several years, seemed initially to have subsided under Ludwig Scotty's widely respected tenure of office.

On 13 November 2007, a motion of no-confidence against Ludwig Scotty's government was unsuccessful; although a majority of those voting supported the motion, it fell short of the necessary nine votes.

Ludwig Scotty remained a member of the Parliament of Nauru, following the no confidence defeat in Parliament of his Administration in 2007.

In March 2010 former President Ludwig Scotty intervened the constitutional reform debate.

Mr Ludwig Scotty doubted whether changes proposed by the current Government of Nauru commanded popular support.

Ludwig Scotty served his first two terms as speaker from April 2000 to March 2001, and May 2001 to December 2002, after which he was elected as president.

In November 2010, Ludwig Scotty was elected Speaker of the House again, breaking a 6-month deadlock which had paralysed the government.

Ludwig Scotty explained that he remained a member of the Opposition to Stephen's government, but that he had accepted the position of Speaker so that Parliament could function, and so that a budget could be adopted.

Ludwig Scotty explained that his decision was due to the allegations over Opposition members receiving financial support from Australian company Getax.

Speaker Ludwig Scotty resigned on 18 April 2013 amid increasing parliamentary deadlock and infighting, started over his own attempt to dissolve Parliament, he was temporarily succeeded by Deputy Speaker Landon Deireragea who served as acting speaker until 25 April when Godfrey Thoma was elected as Speaker after being nominated by former President Marcus Stephen.

Ludwig Scotty was returned to the chair after the 2013 parliamentary election as the nominee of the government of Baron Waqa.

Ludwig Scotty was elected with 14 votes to 5 five for opposition nominee Kieren Keke.

Ludwig Scotty's deputy is newly elected MP Ranin Akua who was elected unopposed.