2017 Tongan General Election
General elections were held in Tonga on 16 November 2017 to elect 17 of the 26 seats to the Legislative Assembly. King Tupou VI dissolved the Assembly on 25 August 2017 on the advice of its Speaker, Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō, who claimed that Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva was attempting to claim powers held by the King and Privy Council within Cabinet. Nominations closed on 27 September, with 86 candidates contesting the 17 people's seats. The election resulted in a victory for the DPFI, with ʻAkilisi Pōhiva remaining as Prime Minister. 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. Nine seats are held by members of the nobility who elect representatives amongst themselves. [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Legislative Assembly Of Tonga
The Legislative Assembly of Tonga ( to, Fale Alea ʻo Tonga) is the unicameral legislature of Tonga. The assembly has 26 members in which 17 members elected by majority of the people for a 5-year term in multi-seat constituencies via the single non-transferable vote system. There are 9 members elected by the 33 hereditary nobles of Tonga. The Assembly is controlled by the speaker of the House who is elected by majority of the elected members of Parliament and constitutionally appointed by the king. History A Legislative Assembly providing for representation of nobles and commoners was established in 1862 by King George Tupou I. This body met every four years and was continued in the 1875 Constitution. Originally the Legislative Assembly consisted of all holders of noble titles, an equal number of people's representatives, the governors for Ha’apai and Vava’u, and at least four Cabinet Ministers chosen by the monarch. An increase in the number of nobles from twenty to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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ʻEua
Eua is an island in the kingdom of Tonga. It is close to Tongatapu, but forms a separate administrative division. It has an area of , and a population in 2021 of 4,903 people. Geography Eua is a hilly island, the highest peaks are the ''Teemoa'' (chicken manure) 312 m, and the ''Vaiangina'' (watersprings) 305 m. The island is not volcanic, but was shaped by the rubbing of the Tonga Plate against the Pacific Plate, pushing Eua up and leaving the Tonga Trench on the bottom of the ocean, a short distance towards the east. The soil of Eua is volcanic, as is that of Tongatapu, but only the top layer, deposited by eruptions of nearby volcanoes ten thousands years ago. Under it are the solid rocks of pushed-up coral. Eua counts many huge caves and holes, not all of which have yet been explored. Eua and Niuatoputapu are the only islands in Tonga that have streams, and ʿEua had the only bridge in the kingdom until Vavau also built one. The stream drains into the harbour ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tongatapu 6
Tongatapu 6 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses the villages of Hofoa, Puke, Siaʻatoutai, Fatai, Lakepa, Matangiake, Kahoua, Makapaeo, Liahona, Lomaiviti, Houma, Haʻakame, Haʻalalo, and ʻUtulau. Its first ever (and so far only) representative is Siosifa Tuʻitupou Tuʻutafaiva, of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands. Tuʻutafaiva, a high profile advocate lawyer and first time MP, won his seat by the narrowest margin for any of the People's Representatives' constituencies, with a majority of just four votes. This makes Tongatapu 6 a marginal seat. His main rival was Siosaia Moehau, President of the Tonga Tour ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tongatapu 5
Tongatapu 5 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located in the central-western part of the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses the villages of Kanokupolu, Haʻatafu, Kolovai, Haʻavakatolo, ʻAhau, Foʻui, Teʻekiu, Masilamea, Nukunuku, Matafonua, Matahau, Vaotuʻu, Fahefa, Kalaʻau, Haʻutu, and ʻAtata. Its first ever representative in 2010 was ʻAisake Eke, who was not a member of any political party, and was a first time MP. Of Tongatapu's ten constituencies, Tongatapu 5 was the only one not to be won by the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands ( to, Paati Temokalati ʻa e ʻOtu Motu ʻAngaʻofa) is a political pa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mateni Tapueluelu
Mateni Tapueluelu is a Tongan journalist and politician. He has worked as a correspondent for Radio New Zealand International in Tonga, then became editor of the '' Keleʻa'', the newspaper of the pro-democracy movement and of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, led by his father-in-law ʻAkilisi Pohiva. Tapueluelu's wife Laucala, Pohiva's daughter, is the newspaper's publisher."PTOA Chair preemptively purging party ‘dissidents’ for fear of being ousted?" ''Tonga Herald'', 10 July 2014 '' [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tongatapu 4
Tongatapu 4 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses part of Maʻufanga (a district of the capital city, Nukuʻalofa), and the entirety of the villages of Houmakelikao, ʻAnana, ʻUmisi, Fangaloto, Popua, Patangata, Nukunukumotu, Tukutonga, and Pangaimotu. Its first ever representative was ʻIsileli Pulu, of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands. Pulu was first elected to the Assembly in 2002, and in 2010 began his fourth term as MP, in this new constituency. He was elected with an overwhelming majority, appearing to make this, at present, a safe seat A safe seat is an electoral district (constituency) in a legisla ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Siaosi Sovaleni
Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni (born 28 February 1970) is a Tongan politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Tonga since 2021. He has previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and from 2014 to 2017, he was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga. Early life Sovaleni is from Ngele'ia on Tonga's main island Tongatapu and is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Langi Kavaliku. He attended Timaru Boys' High School in New Zealand and graduated in 1988. He was educated at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in computer science in 1992. He subsequently completed a master's degree at the University of Oxford, and an MBA at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. He worked as a public servant for Tonga's Ministry of Finance from 1996 to 2010, before working for the Pacific Community and Asian Development Bank. He returned to Tonga in 2013 to work as the Chief Executive in the Ministry of Public Enterprises. Political caree ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tongatapu 3
Tongatapu 3 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses parts of Kolofoʻou and Maʻufanga (districts of the capital city Nukuʻalofa), and the entirety of the villages of Pahu, ʻAmaile, Fasi-moe-afi-ʻa-Tungi, Ngeleʻia, Mataika, and Halaleva. Its first ever representative is Sitiveni Halapua, of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands. Halapua, a first time MP, defeated Clive Edwards, an incumbent MP and former Deputy Prime Minister. (Edwards was nonetheless subsequently appointed Minister for Justice, thus obtaining a seat in Parliament ''ex officio''.) For the 2014 election, Halapua was deselected by the party, which en ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Semisi Sika
Semisi Kioa Lafu Sika (born 31 January 1968) is a Tongan politician, businessman, and Member of the Tongan Parliament from 2010 to 2021. He served as acting prime minister in September 2019, following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva. He is currently leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands. Career and activism Sika is from Haveluloto, and was educated at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, gaining a Bachelor of Science. Before entering politics he worked as a teacher and travel agent, and ran a takeaway shop and catering firm. He is a longstanding supporter of the democratic movement in Tonga. In 2007 he was one of three people, including Human Rights and Democracy Movement leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, who were prosecuted for their leadership of a protest march in June 2006. He was found not guilty and discharged. Political career A member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, Sika was elected to Parliament in the seat of Tongatapu 2 in the 2010 elections. H ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tongatapu 2
Tongatapu 2 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses part of Kolofoʻou (a district of the capital city, Nukuʻalofa), and the villages of Fanga-ʻo-Pilolevu, Mailetaha, Haveluloto, Tofoa, and Koloua. Its first representative was Semisi Sika, of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands. Sika, a first time MP, defeated Dr. Viliami Tangi, the incumbent Minister for Health, who had sat in Parliament as a minister but had not been an elected MP. Sika held the seat with a large majority in the 2014 general election. He lost it in the 2021 election to ʻUhilamoelangi Fasi ʻUhilamoelangi Fasi is a Tongan politician and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tonga Assemblée Législative 2017
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, according to Johnson's Tribune, Tonga has a population of 104,494, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest; Samoa to the northeast; New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west; Niue (the nearest foreign territory) to the east; and Kermadec (New Zealand) to the southwest. Tonga is about from New Zealand's North Island. First inhabited roughly 2,500 years ago by the Lapita civilization, Tonga's Polynesian settlers gradually evolved a distinct and strong ethnic identity, language, and culture as the Tongan people. They were quick to establish a powerful foot ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |