Results for Parliament

Members of Parliament should read and have a better understanding of the law, the Constitution, and materials that are tabled into parliament, before they engage and debate in the House, King Tupou VI told the Tonga Legislative Assembly this morning, 22 January, in a message conveyed back to the House by Lord Vaha’i and Losaline Ma’asi.

Today's swearing in of Tonga’s new Cabinet Ministers, to govern the Kingdom for the next four years 2018-21, has left two ministerial portfolios vacant. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga's Prime Minister, Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva did not attend the opening of the Tongan Parliament 2018 session, this morning, 11 January and no mention of his absence was made, in what was called a "Huufi Fakalotofale 'o e Fale Alea 'o Tonga" or "in-house" session. The MPs will take their oath of office on a later day to be announced.

The Tonga Legislative Assembly may open its 2018 session this week on Thursday January 11 to swear in the new members, according to a source. If that happens, the Prime Minister is expected to leave Vaiola Hospital's Intensive Care Unit in order to attend the session.

Tonga's Members of Parliament are currently on a 15-minutes break before they cast their vote in a secret ballet to elect Tonga's Prime Minister from two nominations read out this morning at Parliament House. Caretaker Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva and his former Deputy PM Siaosi Sovaleni are vying for the top job.

A second nomination for the next Prime Minister of Tonga was submitted this afternoon. The name of the nominee will not be revealed until MPs cast their votes, on a date to be announced.

The dissolution of the Tongan Parliament on 24 August carried a hope that new members of parliament and a new Prime Minister with a new government might be elected to advance the Tongan democratic reform that was introduced in 2010. But that hope faded with the results of the November 16 snap General Election, when voters re-elected 21 of the 26 members of the dissolved parliament.

One nomination for a Prime Minister designate was received by Office of the Interim Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Lord Tangi on December 5.

Tonga should have a new Prime Minister, a Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and Cabinet Ministers by the second or third week of December. The Electoral Commissioner, Pita Vuki today, 24 November, confirmed that the Writ for the November 16 General Election has not been returned to the King, but should be returned on or before next Thursday, 30 November.