Legislative Assembly of Tonga

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga (Tongan: 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.

Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Fale Alea ʻo Tonga
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
History
Founded16 September 1875 (1875-09-16)[1]
Leadership
Speaker
Fatafehi Fakafanua
since December 2017
Structure
Seats25 members
Current Structure of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga
Political groups
Government (15)
  •   DPFI (3)
  •   Independents (8)
  •   Nobles' (4)

Opposition (10)

Vacant (1)

  •   Vacant (1)
Elections
Single non-transferable vote
Last election
18 November 2021
Next election
On or before November 2025
Meeting place
Parliament House, Nukuʻalofa
Website
parliament.gov.to
Politics of Tonga
Constitution
Monarchy
Executive
Legislative
Judiciary
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations

History

A Legislative Assembly providing for representation of nobles and commoners was established in 1862 by King George Tupou I.[2] 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.[3] An increase in the number of nobles from twenty to thirty saw the Assembly grow to 70 members.[4] Amendments in 1914 saw a reduction in the size of the Assembly and annual sittings. The principle of equal representation of nobles and commoners was retained.[5]

In April 2010 the Legislative Assembly enacted a package of political reforms, increasing the number of people's representatives from nine to seventeen,[6] with ten seats for Tongatapu, three for Vava’u, two for Ha’apai and one each for Niuas and 'Eua.[7]

The 100-year-old Tongan Parliament House was destroyed by Cyclone Gita, a Category 4 tropical cyclone that passed through the nation on 12 and 13 February 2018.[8] Parliament subsequently moved to the Tongan National Centre complex in Tofoa. In November 2021 the Tongan government announced that a new parliament building would be constructed on Nuku'alofa's waterfront.[9]

Electoral system

The parliament has 17 constituencies.

Speaker of the Assembly

The Legislative Assembly is presided over by a Speaker, who is elected by the MPs at the first meeting of elected members after the general election.[10] Prior to 2010, the Speaker was appointed by the monarch.[11]

A complete list of the Speakers is below:[12]

Name Took office Left office Notes
Hon. Viliami Tungi18751896
Hon. Siaosi Tuku'aho18971897
Hon. Siaosi Tu'ipelehake18971912
Hon. Finau 'Ulukalala19121938
Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune193919401st term
Hon. Tu'ivakano194119411st term
Hon. Nuku19421944
Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune194519452nd term
Hon. Tu'ivakano194619482nd term
Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune194919493rd term
Hon. Tu'ivakano195019503rd term
Hon. Kalaniuvalu19511958
Hon. Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi19591984
Hon. Kalaniuvalu Fotofili19851986
Hon. Malupo19871989
Lord Fusituʻa19901998[13]
Lord VeikuneApril 199920011st term
Lord Tuʻivakanō1 July 200220041st term
Lord Veikune22 March 2005January 20062nd term
Lord Tu‘iha‘angana10 February 2006April 2008[14]
Hon. Tu'ilakepa2 May 20082010
Lord Tupou (interim)3 December 201021 December 2010[15]
Hon. Lasike21 December 201018 July 2012
Lord Fakafanua19 July 201229 December 20141st term
Lord TuʻivakanōJanuary 2015December 20172nd term
Lord FakafanuaDecember 20172nd term[16]

Terms of the Tongan Legislative Assembly

Until 2010, the government was appointed by the monarch without reference to Parliament, and there were no political parties. The last term under the old system was the 2008 Tongan Legislative Assembly. Political reform in 2010 saw the Prime Minister elected by Parliament from among its members, leading to responsible government.

Term Elected in Government
2010 Parliament 2010 election Independent
2014 Parliament 2014 election No overall majority
2017 Parliament 2017 election DPFI
2021 Parliament 2021 election Independent

Officers

Clerk (Kalae Pule Falealea 'o Tonga)

  • Sione Tekiteki (2011–2012)
  • Gloria Pole'o (2012–present)

See also

References
  1. "History". Parliament of Tonga. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  2. David Stanley (1999). Tonga-Samoa Handbook. p. 198. ISBN 978-1-56691-174-0.
  3. Ian Campbell (2005). "The Quest for Constitutional Reform in Tonga". Journal of Pacific History. 40 (1): 91–104. doi:10.1080/00223340500082400. S2CID 22501018.
  4. Campbell (2005), p. 93.
  5. Sione Latukefu. "History of our Constitution". Government of Tonga. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  6. "Tonga Parliament enacts political reforms". Radio New Zealand International. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  7. "Tonga parliament votes on amended boundaries". Radio New Zealand International. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  8. "Tonga parliament building flattened by Cyclone Gita". BBC News. 13 February 2018.
  9. "Tonga's new multi-million Parliament Building to be built on seafront". Matangi Tonga. 14 November 2021. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  10. "FAQs".
  11. Constitution of Tonga Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine, s. 61
  12. "List of Speakers of the Tongan Legislative Assembly". Archived from the original on 14 August 2020.
  13. ""Late Lord Fusitu'a achieved four levels of God's goodness" – Dr. Tevita Havea says". www.parliament.gov.to.
  14. "Tonga: ELECTIONS IN 2005". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  15. "IPU PARLINE database: TONGA (Fale Alea), ELECTIONS IN 2010".
  16. "Tongan Parliament elects Pōhiva as PM for next four years | Asia Pacific Report".
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