Prime Minister of Tonga

The prime minister of Tonga (historically referred to as the premier) is the country's head of government. Tonga is a monarchy with the king, currently Tupou VI, former prime minister, as head of state.[2] The current prime minister is Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa, in office since 8 October 2019.

Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Tonga
Coat of arms of
the Kingdom of Tonga
Incumbent
Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
since 8 October 2019
AppointerKing of Tonga
Inaugural holderTēvita ʻUnga (Premier)
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Prime Minister)
Formation1876 (Premier)
1970 (Prime Minister)
SalaryT$ 94,500 annually[1]
Websitehttps://pmo.gov.to/
Tonga
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Tonga
Constitution
Administrative divisions

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.[3]

2000s democratization

During the 2000s, the country experienced an increase in democratization. In March 2006, King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV appointed 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.[4]

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.[5][6][7]

List of premiers/prime ministers of Tonga (1876–present)
No. Prime MinisterTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyMonarch
1
Unga, TēvitaCrown 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.Siaosi U. Tukuʻaho
(1854–1897)		July 189018932–3 yearsIndependentGeorge Tupou I
4
Veikune, SiosatekiSiosateki Veikune
(1853–1913)		1893January 190511–12 yearsIndependentGeorge Tupou II
5
Mateialona, SioneSione Mateialona
(1852–1925)		January 190530 September 19127 years, 7 monthsIndependentGeorge Tupou II
6
Tuʻivakano, TevitaTevita Tuʻivakano
(1869–1923)		30 September 191230 June 192310 years, 304 daysIndependentGeorge Tupou II
Sālote Tupou III
7
Mailefihi, Viliami TungīViliami Tungī Mailefihi CBE
(1887–1941)		30 June 192320 July 194118 years, 20 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
8
Ata, Solomone UlaSolomone Ula Ata OBE
(1883–1950)		20 July 194112 December 19498 years, 145 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
9
Tungi, Taufa'ahauCrown Prince
Taufa'ahau Tungi KBE
(1918–2006)
[lower-alpha 1]		12 December 194916 December 196516 years, 4 daysIndependentSālote Tupou III
10
Tuʻipelehake, FatafehiPrince
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake CBE
(1922–1999)		16 December 196522 August 199125 years, 249 daysIndependentTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
11
Tupou, SiaosiBaron
Siaosi Tuʻihala ʻAlipate Vaea Tupou
(1921–2009)		22 August 19913 January 20008 years, 134 daysIndependentTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
12
Tukuʻaho, AhoʻeituʻAhoʻeitu 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, SialeʻataongoSiale ʻAtaongo Kaho, Lord Tuʻivakanō
(born 1952)		22 December 201030 December 20144 years, 8 daysIndependentGeorge Tupou V
Tupou VI
15
Pōhiva, AkilisiʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(1941–2019)		30 December 201412 September 2019 †4 years, 256 daysDPFITupou VI
—
Sika, SemisiSemisi Sika
(born 1968)		12 September 20198 October 201926 daysDPFITupou VI
16
Tuionetoa, PohivaPōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
(born 1961)		8 October 2019Incumbent259 daysIndependentTupou VI

Living Former Prime Ministers

As of June 2020 there are three former living Tongan Prime Ministers, including King Tupou VI, as seen below. This listing excludes former Acting Prime Ministers.

See also

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

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

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