2021 Tongan general election

General elections will be held in Tonga by 30 November 2021,[1] to elect 17 of the 26 seats to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.

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Background

The 2017 general elections results in a landslide victory for the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands,[2] and ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was re-elected as Prime Minister, defeating former Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni 14 votes to 12.[3] In September 2019 Pohiva died,[4] and Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa was elected as Prime Minister with the support of the nobles, independent MPs, and 5 former members of the DPFI.[5][6] His cabinet included three nobles, who had previously been excluded under Pohiva.[7]

In December 2020 Democratic party leader Semisi Sika submitted a motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Tuʻiʻonetoa.[8] The motion was backed by Deputy Prime Minister Sione Vuna Fa'otusia,[9] who subsequently resigned from Cabinet.[8][10] The Legislative Assembly rejected the no-confidence motion 13-9 on 12 January 2021.[11]

Electoral system

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga has up to 30 members, of which 17 are directly elected by first-past-the-post voting from single-member constituencies. The island of Tongatapu has ten constituencies, Vavaʻu three, Haʻapai two and ʻEua and Niuatoputapu/Niuafoʻou one each.[12] Nine seats are held by members of the nobility who elect representatives amongst themselves.[13] The Cabinet formed by a Prime Minister may include up to four members not elected to the Assembly, who then automatically become members of the legislature.[13]

References
  1. "Kingdom of Tonga". IFES Election Guide. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. "Landslide victory for Democrats in Tongan election". New Zealand Herald. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. "Pohiva retains Tonga prime ministership". RNZ. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. "Tongan PM 'Akilisi Pohiva dies, aged 78". RNZ. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  5. "Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa as new PM". Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa as new PM. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  6. "Tonga MPs choose Tu'i'onetoa as new prime minister". RNZ. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  7. "New Tonga PM: 'We need to be united'". RNZ. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  8. "Tonga Deputy PM resigns amidst no confidence motion". RNZ. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  9. "PM Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa "has to go" says Deputy PM Vuna Fa'otusia as he and others submit vote of no confidence motion against PM". Kaniva Tonga. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  10. Pesi Fonua (14 December 2020). "Deputy PM Fa'otusia resigns from Cabinet". Matangi Tonga. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  11. "Tonga's PM survives motion of no confidence". RNZ. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  12. Electoral system IPU
  13. Last elections IPU


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