The parliamentary elections in Tonga were held on November 27, 2014 [1] [2] [3] . Elections covered all twenty-six elected seats in the unicameral Legislative Assembly although the monarch, acting on the recommendation of his prime minister , retains the opportunity to independently appoint members of the government, thus providing them with an unselected post in parliament. Of the 26 deputies, 17 are elected by the people, and 9 by the nobility . This vote will be the second democratic after the 2010 election, held in accordance with the 2010 election law, indicating that most members of the Assembly should be elected by the people, not the nobility, and the elected parliament is authorized to give mandatory advice to the king regarding the appointment of the Prime Minister [ 4] .
← 2010  | |||
| Legislative Election in Tonga | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 November 27 | |||
 | |||
Content
- 1 Context
- 2 Electoral system
- 3 Voting
- 4 notes
Context
In the 2010 parliamentary elections , the Democratic Party of Friendship Islands , led by veteran of the democratic movement 'Akilisi Pohiva received 12 out of 17 popular seats, and the rest were won by independent candidates (nobility representatives do not belong to any political party). Pohiva, who became a deputy from the constituency of Tongatapu 1 , sought to take the post of prime minister, but the nobles and independent deputies entrusted the task of forming the government of Siale'ataonge Tu'ivakano , de facto having deposed the democrats to the level of parliamentary opposition [4] .
Given that the 2010 reforms should be seen only as the first step in the process of democratization, MP Aisake Jeke from the Democratic Party from Tongatapu 5 in October 2013 he introduced a bill to parliament that would allow the people to elect a prime minister directly from among 26 members of parliament, and later the king would appoint him. The bill was rejected by 15 votes to 6, without even gaining the support of a majority of the Democratic Party [5] .
Nevertheless, Pohiva immediately announced that at the beginning of 2014 his party would present a draft electoral reform, according to which all 26 deputies of the Assembly would be elected by the people, including the nobles, retaining their 9 seats. Pohiva said that he would make “the whole parliament accountable to the people, and not like we do now” [6] . Meanwhile, a doctor at Massey University Malakai Koloamatangi noted that in anticipation of new elections, the time for such a reform was chosen too late [7] .
Election System
The Kingdom of Tonga is divided into 17 single-member districts. Representatives of the nobility are elected in four constituencies: 4 deputies from the constituency covering the islands of Tongatapu and Eua , 2 from the constituency from Wawau , 2 from the constituency from the Haapai Islands , and 1 from the constituency covering the islands of Niuafou and Niuatoputapu . In both types of constituencies, a majoritarian electoral system is applied [4]
All citizens of Tonga who have reached the age of 21, who are not nobles, members of the royal family, persons with debts and insane, have the right to vote [4] . In constituencies of the nobility, voting rights are granted to hereditary peers and ordinary peers, although only the first have the right to be elected [8] .
Voting
Polling stations opened at 9 a.m., and closed at 4 p.m. [9] [10] . To participate in the elections, a record number of voters was registered - 51 thousand people [11] [12] [13] . 106 people [14] nominated candidates, of which 16 women [15] [16] .
Notes
- ↑ Tonga. Election for Legislative Assembly . IFES Election Guide . Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ MP proposes bill to dissolve government . Matangi Tonga (October 21, 2013). Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) ACT 2010 . Tonga Electoral Commission . Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Tonga: Fale Alea (Legislative Assembly) . Inter-Parliamentary Union . Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ Parliament rejects a Bill to change Tonga's electoral system . Matangi Tonga (October 24, 2013). Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga Democrats to table more reform plans (inaccessible link) . Radio New Zealand International (October 30, 2013). Date of treatment September 28, 2014. Archived October 24, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga reform push too late before elections, says academic . Radio New Zealand International (October 31, 2013). Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ Nobles . Tongan Ministry of Information . Date of treatment September 28, 2014.
- ↑ Polls close in Tonga election . Sky News (November 27, 2014). Date of treatment November 28, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga undergoing on its 24 hour blackout ahead of the election day tomorrow (link not available) . Tonga Broadcastin Commission (November 26, 2014). Date of treatment November 28, 2014. Archived December 5, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga's ailing economy the key election battleground unopened . Radio Australia (November 21, 2014). Date of treatment November 25, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga's ailing economy the key election battleground unopened . Australia Plus (November 21, 2014). Date of treatment November 25, 2014.
- ↑ Tonga election polls close, as a record number of women stand for parliament . Australian Broadcasting Corporation (November 28, 2014). Date of treatment November 28, 2014.
- ↑ A total of 106 candidates to contest Tonga election . Radio Australia (October 28, 2014). Date of treatment November 25, 2014.
- ↑ 106 candidates for Tonga's General Election 2014 . matangitonga.to (October 24, 2014). Date of treatment November 25, 2014.
- ↑ 16 women to contest Tonga election . Radio New Zealand (October 28, 2014). Date of treatment November 25, 2014.