Prime Minister of Tonga

Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Tonga
Coat of arms of
the Kingdom of Tonga
Incumbent
ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
since 30 December 2014
Appointer Tupou VI
King of Tonga
Inaugural holder Tēvita ʻUnga (Premier)
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Prime Minister)
Formation 1876 (Premier)
1970 (Prime Minister)
Tonga
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Tonga
Constitution
Administrative divisions

The Prime Minister (until 1970, Premier) of Tonga heads the government of the Kingdom of Tonga (His Majesty's government), while the King is the official head of the executive power.[1]

The office of Prime Minister was established by the Constitution of 1875, whose article 51 stipulates that the Prime Minister and other ministers are appointed and dismissed by the King.[2]

2000s democratization

During the 2000s, the country experienced an increase in democratization. In March 2006, King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV appointed Dr. Feleti Sevele, a moderate member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement, as Prime Minister. Sevele was the first commoner to hold this post since Shirley Waldemar Baker in 1881. All the prime ministers since Baker had been members of the nobility, or even the royal family.[3]

In July 2008, King George Tupou V announced more substantial democratic reforms. He would abandon the essential part of his executive powers, and would henceforth follow the custom of monarchies such as the United Kingdom, exercising his prerogatives only with the Prime Minister's advice. In addition, he would no longer appoint the Prime Minister anyone he wished, but would appoint a member of the Legislative Assembly to be elected by the Legislative Assembly.[4][5][6]

List of Premiers/Prime Ministers of Tonga (1876–present)

№ Prime MinisterTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyMonarch
1
Unga, TēvitaHRH Crown Prince
Tēvita ʻUnga
(c.1824–1879)		1 January 187618 December 1879 †3 years, 351 daysIndependentGeorge Tupou I
Vacant (18 December 1879 – April 1881)
2
Baker, Shirley WaldemarShirley Waldemar Baker
(1836–1903)		April 1881July 18909 years, 3 monthsIndependentGeorge Tupou I
3
Tukuʻaho, Siaosi U.Hon.
Siaosi U. Tukuʻaho
(1854–1897)		July 189018932–3 yearsIndependentGeorge Tupou I
4
Veikune, SiosatekiHon.
Siosateki Veikune
(1853–1913)		1893January 190511–12 yearsIndependentGeorge Tupou II
5
Mateialona, SioneHon.
Sione Mateialona
(1852–1925)		January 190530 September 19127 years, 7 monthsIndependentGeorge Tupou II
6
Tuʻivakano, TevitaHon.
Tevita Tuʻivakano
(1869–1923)		30 September 191230 June 192310 years, 304 daysIndependentGeorge Tupou II
Sālote Tupou III
7
Mailefihi, Viliami TungīHon.
Viliami Tungī Mailefihi CBE
(1887–1941)		30 June 192320 July 194118 years, 20 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
8
Ata, Solomone UlaHon.
Solomone Ula Ata OBE
(1883–1950)		20 July 194112 December 19498 years, 145 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
9
Tungi, Taufa'ahauHRH Crown Prince
Taufa'ahau Tungi KBE
(1918–2006)
[lower-alpha 1]		12 December 194916 December 196516 years, 4 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
10
Tuʻipelehake, FatafehiHRH Prince
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake CBE
(1922–1999)		16 December 196522 August 199125 years, 249 daysIndependentTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
11
Tupou, SiaosiHRH Baron
Siaosi Tuʻihala ʻAlipate Vaea Tupou
(1921–2009)		22 August 19913 January 20008 years, 134 daysIndependentTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
12
Tukuʻaho, AhoʻeituHRH
ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
(born 1959)
[lower-alpha 2]		3 January 200011 February 20066 years, 39 daysIndependentTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
13
Sevele, FeletiDr.
Feleti Sevele
(born 1944)		30 March 200622 December 20104 years, 314 daysHRDMTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
George Tupou V
14
Tuʻivakanō, SialeʻataongoHon.
Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho, Lord Tuʻivakanō
(born 1952)		22 December 201030 December 20144 years, 8 daysIndependentGeorge Tupou V
Tupou VI
15
Pōhiva, AkilisiʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(born 1941)		30 December 2014Incumbent3 years, 289 daysDPFITupou VI

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Later King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.
  2. ↑ Later King Tupou VI.

References

  1. ↑ "The Executive government ", Tonga government
  2. ↑ Constitution of Tonga Archived 19 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "Tonga gets first elected leader", BBC, 13 February 2006
  4. ↑ "Tonga's king to cede key powers", BBC, 29 July 2008
  5. ↑ "Tongan king promises 'more democracy' for Pacific island", The Guardian, 29 July 2008
  6. ↑ "King of Tonga prepares to give up power", The Telegraph, 11 July 2010

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