Nation in chaos after lawmakers pardon themselves

The South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu found itself in political chaos on Tuesday following an extraordinary few days in which 14 lawmakers were found guilty of corruption but were then pardoned by one of their own while the president was abroad.

The events have created a constitutional crisis for President Baldwin Lonsdale, who promised he would find a legal avenue to "clean up the mess".

"Vanuatu's credibility has been tarnished throughout the world, and as head of state, I am deeply sorry to see this," Lonsdale told reporters on Monday, according to the Vanuatu Daily Post.