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General elections were held in Tonga on 7 May 1984. Nine nobles were elected to the Legislative Assembly by their peers, whilst a further nine People's Representatives were publicly elected. All candidates were independents. [1]
In 1981 plans were announced to increase the number of elected representatives for nobles and commoners from seven to nine. The People's Representatives seats were increased by adding two new constituencies, Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu, both of which had previously been part of the Tongatapu constituency. [2]
The history of Tonga is recorded since the ninth century BC, when seafarers associated with the Lapita diaspora first settled the islands which now make up the Kingdom of Tonga. Along with Fiji and Samoa, the area served as a gateway into the rest of the Pacific region known as Polynesia. Ancient Tongan mythologies recorded by early European explorers report the islands of 'Ata and Tongatapu as the first islands having been hauled to the surface from the deep ocean by Maui.
The Legislative Assembly of 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.
General elections were held in Tonga on 23 and 24 April 2008 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly. The nobles were elected on 23 April, and the nine people's representatives on 24 April. A total of 32,000 people turned out to vote, giving a turnout of 48%.
Samiuela ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was a Tongan pro-democracy activist and politician. Pohiva, the leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019. He was only the fourth commoner to serve as Prime Minister, and the first commoner to be elected to that position by Parliament rather than appointed by the King.
Early general elections under a new electoral law were held in Tonga on 25 November 2010. They determined the composition of the 2010 Tongan Legislative Assembly.
General elections were held in Tonga on 14 and 15 February 1990 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. Nine nobles and nine people's representatives were elected. Seven of the latter favoured democratic reform. Voter turnout was 65.4%.
General elections were held in Tonga on 18 and 19 February 1987 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. Nine nobles and nine people's representatives were elected. Five of the latter favoured democratic reform.
General elections were held in Tonga on 1 May 1981. Seven nobles were elected by their peers, whilst a further seven People's Representatives were publicly elected.
Niuas is an electoral constituency which sends one representative to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. It covers the islands of Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu.
Tongatapu 2 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses part of Kolofoʻou, and the villages of Fanga-ʻo-Pilolevu, Mailetaha, Haveluloto, Tofoa, and Koloua.
Vavaʻu is an electoral constituency which sends two representatives to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. It covers the eponymous region and island chain.
Niua 17 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. It encompasses the entirety of the Niua island group, for which it is the sole constituency. Thus, although it is technically a new constituency, it corresponds exactly to the former Niuas constituency, which also elected a single representative.
A by-election was held for the ʻEua Noble seat to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga on 2 August 2012. It was triggered by the dismissal from Parliament of the incumbent, the Speaker Lord Lasike, following his conviction for illegal possession of ammunition in July.
General elections were held in Tonga on 27 November 2014. All twenty-six elected seats in the single-chamber Legislative Assembly were up for election, although the monarch, acting on the advice of his Prime Minister, retains the possibility to appoint members to Cabinet from outside Parliament, thus granting them a non-elected ex officio seat in Parliament.
A by-election was held for the Niuas Noble seat to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga on 22 May 2014. It was triggered by the death of the constituency's incumbent representative, Lord Fusituʻa, on 24 April 2014.
Mataʻiʻulua ʻi Fonuamotu, Lord Fusituʻa, is a Tongan politician and noble of the Realm.
Tongatapu 7 is an electoral constituency for the Legislative Assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was established for the November 2010 general election, when the multi-seat regional constituencies for People's Representatives were replaced by single-seat constituencies, electing one representative via the first past the post electoral system. Located on the country's main island, Tongatapu, it encompasses the villages of Pea, Tokomololo, Haʻateiho, Lotohaʻapai, and part of Tofoa and Koloua.
General elections were held in Tonga on 16 November 2017 to elect 17 of the 26 seats to the Legislative Assembly. King Tupou VI dissolved the Assembly on 25 August 2017 on the advice of its Speaker, Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō, who claimed that Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva was attempting to claim powers held by the King and Privy Council within Cabinet.
General elections were held in Tonga on 18 November 2021 to elect 17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
Siaosi ‘Alokuo’ulu Wycliffe Fusitu’a, styled Lord Fusitu’a was a Tongan politician and noble. He was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga from 1990 to 1998.
