2014 Tongan general election

Last updated

2014 Tongan general election
Flag of Tonga.svg
  2010 27 November 2014 2017  

17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly
 First party
  Akilisi Pohiva April 2015.jpg
Leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Party DPFI
Last election28.49%, 12 seats
Seats won9
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 3
Popular vote13,548
Percentage33.34%
SwingIncrease2.svg 4.85pp

Prime Minister before election

Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
Independent

Subsequent Prime Minister

ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
DPFI

General elections were held in Tonga on 27 November 2014. [1] 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.

Contents

They were the second elections carried out under the May 2010 electoral law, which provided that a majority of Assembly members should be elected by the people, rather than the people and the nobility having equal representation. [2] The November 2010 general election was the first held under this new democratic principle; it was also the first to produce a Parliament empowered to give binding advice to the King as to the appointment of a Prime Minister. [2]

Background

In the 2010 general elections, the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), led by veteran pro-democracy activist ʻAkilisi Pohiva, had won twelve of the people's seventeen seats, with the rest going to independent candidates. (The representatives of the nobility, for their part, never belong to any political party.) Pohiva, the MP for Tongatapu 1, had sought to become Prime Minister, but the nobles and independent people's representatives entrusted Lord Tuʻivakanō with the task of forming a government, relegating the DPFI to the status of a de facto parliamentary opposition. [2]

Considering that the reforms introduced in 2010 were merely to be viewed as a first step in the process of democratisation, the DPFI introduced a bill in October 2013 (via ʻAisake Eke, MP for Tongatapu 5) which would have empowered the people to elect the Prime Minister directly from among the twenty-six elected members of Parliament, instead of the King appointing a Prime Minister from among those members on the advice of Parliament. The bill was rejected by fifteen votes to six, failing even to secure the support of all DPFI members. [3]

Nonetheless, Pohiva immediately announced that, in early 2014, his party would submit a bill for electoral reform, so that all twenty-six members of the Assembly be elected by the people. The nobility would still retain their existing nine seats, but those nobles would be elected by the people. Pohiva suggested this would make "the whole Parliament [...] accountable to the people and not as we have it now". [4] Dr Malakai Koloamatangi of Massey University commented that it was probably too late for any such reform to apply to the 2014 election. [5]

Electoral system

Under the electoral reforms introduced prior to the 2010 election, Tonga is divided into seventeen single-member constituencies for the election of the people's representatives. These overlap with the four constituencies for the election of the nobles' representatives: a four-member constituency covering Tongatapu and ʻEua, a two-member constituency covering Vavaʻu, a two-member constituency covering Haʻapai, and a single-member constituency covering the islands of Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu. In both types of constituency, the first-past-the-post electoral system is applied. [2]

All Tongan citizens aged at least 21, other than noble title holders and members of the Royal Family who hold noble titles, are entitled to elect the people's representative for their constituency. "Persons under summons for debt" and those diagnosed as insane are excluded from the right to vote. [2] As for the nobles' constituencies, the right to vote is granted to hereditary peers and life peers, although only hereditary peers are entitled to be elected. There are thirty-three titles of hereditary nobility, which can be inherited only by men, and which entitle the bearer to the title of "Lord". Some of these titles are periodically vacant, and some are held by members of the Royal Family. As of 2013, eight commoners (all of them men) had been elevated by the monarchy to a life peerage, which likewise entitled them to the title of "Lord". [6]

Results

Tonga Assemblee legislative 2014.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands 13,54833.349–3
Independents27,08466.668+3
Nobles' representatives90
Total40,632100.00260
Valid votes40,63299.77
Invalid/blank votes950.23
Total votes40,727100.00
Registered voters/turnout51,44879.16
Source: TEC, Psephos, IFES

By constituency

Tongatapu 1
CandidateVotes%
ʻAkilisi Pohiva 1,482
William Cocker448
Mosese Teu-Ki-Veiuto Manuofetoa345
Ilisapesi Tau'akitangata Seli Baker191
Ana Kanume Bing Fonua132
Emeline 'Uheina Tuita75
Eliesa Fifita75
Soloni Lutui8
Invalid/blank votes13
Total2,769100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 2
CandidateVotes%
Semisi Sika 1,091
Sione Tu'itavake Fonua543
Tevita Kaitu'u Fotu436
Soane Patita Vakautafefine Fifita186
Invalid/blank votes9
Total2,265100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 3
CandidateVotes%
Siaosi Sovaleni 999
Tevita Palu711
Clive Edwards 518
Mesuilame Simote Vea459
Mele Teusivi 'Amanaki151
Gabriella Renne Blake 'Ilolahia110
Paula Lavulo15
Invalid/blank votes6
Total2,969100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 4
CandidateVotes%
Mateni Tapueluelu 783
ʻIsileli Pulu 570
Etika Koka492
Seketi Fo'ou Fuko248
Etuate 'Eniti Sakalia168
Poli Tuaileva94
Tevita 'Ita Koloamatangi54
Felise 'Ulupano37
Tominiko Setefano Folaumotuita Kama4
Invalid/blank votes12
Total2,462100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 5
CandidateVotes%
ʻAisake Eke 1,682
Maliu Takai1,090
Lia Manatu Faoa72
Viliami Kini Tukia H.P. Mangisi44
Invalid/blank votes10
Total2,898100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 6
CandidateVotes%
Poasi Tei 1,036
Salesi Finau Hu'ia Fotu912
Siosifa Tuʻitupou Tuʻutafaiva 629
Sione Tatafu Angakehe Tafuna325
Invalid/blank votes7
Total2,909100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 7
CandidateVotes%
Sione Vuna Fa'otusia 822
Sione Sangster Saulala 762
Sipola Fakaanga Havili Halafihi686
Mavaetangi Manavahetau199
Atalasa Misilemoti Pouvalu99
Pinomi Prescott41
Amanaki Paea Molitika33
Siosifa Filini Sikuea31
Invalid/blank votes5
Total2,678100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 8
CandidateVotes%
Semisi Fakahau 1,016
Tevita Tu'i Uata 895
Sione Taione 663
Mafile'o Mataele32
Sipaisi Kutu12
Invalid/blank votes3
Total2,621100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 9
CandidateVotes%
Penisimani Fifita 692
Vika Fusimalohi618
Falisi Tupou 571
Tevita Tupu 'Ofa506
Samipeni Uaine Finau199
Lemasingo Tania Nai90
Invalid/blank votes7
Total2,683100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Tongatapu 10
CandidateVotes%
Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa 1,402
Faka'osilea Kaufusi845
Daniel Kimball Fale452
Semisi Tapueluelu 285
Seini Teu45
Invalid/blank votes6
Total3,035100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
'Eua 11
CandidateVotes%
Tevita Lavemaau 760
Sunia Fili 716
Taniela Fusimalohi 618
Suliasi Pouvalu Fonise 'Aholelei57
Silivia Loumaile Mahe7
Invalid/blank votes1
Total2,159100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Ha'apai 12
CandidateVotes%
Viliami Hingano 535
Moʻale Finau 532
Pita Faiva Taufatofua396
Pita Vi158
Tu'ivaita Ueleni69
Latiume Kaufusi18
Invalid/blank votes1
Total1,709100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Ha'apai 13
CandidateVotes%
Veivosa Taka 823
Samiuela Takapuna Fangaloka443
Sosaia Langitoto Helu156
Anau Ki Lifuka 'Anau139
Sione Talanoa Fifita103
Invalid/blank votes1
Total1,665100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Vava'u 14
CandidateVotes%
Saia Piukala 1,232
Lisiate ‘Akolo 739
Latu Niua Lepolo272
Matini F.M.'O.V.T.T. Veikune79
Tu'amelie H. Faitu'a Kemoe'atu70
Tongovua T. Toloke Appleton34
Taniela Fakalolo Kivalu17
Invalid/blank votes4
Total2,447100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Vava'u 15
CandidateVotes%
Samiu Vaipulu 747
Tomifa Paea524
Kulufeinga 'Anisi Bloomfield472
Keuli Pasina Lavaki166
Sione Sosefo Fitu Mailangi95
Alekisio Kaita'eifo77
Alwyn Thomas Moa36
Elieta Sapate Toke31
Salesi Kauvaka27
Viliami Kaufusi Helu20
Viliami Pasikala16
Henele Tu'ulau Fononga9
Invalid/blank votes4
Total2,224100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Vava'u 16
CandidateVotes%
‘Etuate Lavulavu 767
Viliami Latu 627
Ipeni 'Alamoni Siale346
Tupoulahi Manuofetoa212
Aisea Silivenusi135
Viliami Lolohea106
Ikani Loneli Taliai87
Invalid/blank votes5
Total2,285100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC
Ongo Niua 17
CandidateVotes%
Sosefo Fe‘aomoeata Vakata 519
Vatau Hui 291
Sione Peauafi Haukinima138
Invalid/blank votes1
Total949100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: TEC

Nobles

ConstituencyElected candidateVotes
'Eua Lord Nuku 7
Ha'apai Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho 4
Lord Tu'iha'angana 4
Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ouLord Fusitu’a2
Tongatapu ʻAlipate Tuʻivanuavou Vaea 11
Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi 10
Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō 8
Vava'u Tonga Tuʻiʻafitu 5
Lord Tu'ilakepa 4
Source: Tonga Portal

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References