Prime Minister of Tonga

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Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Tonga
Palemia ʻo Tonga (Tongan)
Coat of arms of Tonga.svg
Flag of Tonga.svg
Siaosi Sovaleni ITU 2017.jpg
Incumbent
Siaosi Sovaleni
since 27 December 2021
Style The Honourable
Status Head of government
AbbreviationPM
Member of
Seat Nuku’alofa
Appointer King of Tonga
Constituting instrument Constitution of Tonga
Inaugural holder Tēvita ʻUnga (Premier)
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Prime Minister)
Formation1876 (Premier)
1970 (Prime Minister)
Deputy Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga
Salary T$ 94,500 annually [1]
Website https://pmo.gov.to/
Prime Minister's Office in Nuku'alofa Parliament Nuku'alofa.jpg
Prime Minister’s Office in Nuku’alofa

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 Siaosi Sovaleni, who was elected on 15 December 2021 and appointed on 27 December 2021. [3] Sovaleni was elected with 16 votes. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

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. [7]

The prime minister is assisted by the deputy prime minister.

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. [8]

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. [9] [10] [11]

List of premiers/prime ministers of Tonga (1876–present)

No.PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeParty Monarch
1
Tevita `Unga.jpg
Unga, TēvitaCrown Prince
Tēvita ʻUnga
(c. 1824–1879)
1 January 187618 December 1879 3 years, 351 days Independent George Tupou I
Vacant (18 December 1879 – April 1881)
2
SW Baker.jpg
Baker, Shirley WaldemarRev.
Shirley Waldemar Baker
(1836–1903)
April 1881July 18909 years, 3 months Independent George Tupou I
3
Siaosi Uiliami Tuku`aho.jpg
Tukuʻaho, Siaosi Siaosi Tukuʻaho
(1854–1897)
July 189018932–3 years Independent George Tupou I
4
Siosateki Veikune.jpg
Veikune, Siosateki Siosateki Veikune
(1853–1913)
1893January 190511–12 years Independent George Tupou II
5
Siaosi Fatafehi Toutaitokotaha.jpg
Pelehake, Siaosi Tuʻi Siaosi Tuʻi Pelehake
(1842–1912)
January 1905January 19050 months Independent George Tupou II
6
Sione Tupou Mateialona.jpg
Mateialona, Sione Tupou Sione Tupou Mateialona
(1852–1925)
January 190530 September 19127 years, 7 months Independent George Tupou II
7
TPP Tu`ivakano.jpg
Tuʻivakano, Tevita Tevita Tuʻivakano
(1869–1923)
30 September 191230 June 192310 years, 304 days Independent George Tupou II
Sālote Tupou III
8
Viliami-Tungi-Mailefihi.jpg
Mailefihi, Viliami TungīPrince
Viliami Tungī Mailefihi CBE
(1887–1941)
30 June 192320 July 194118 years, 20 days Independent Sālote Tupou III
9
Ata (Solomone).jpg
Ata, Solomone Ula Solomone Ula Ata OBE
(1883–1950)
20 July 194112 December 19498 years, 145 days Independent Sālote Tupou III
10
Tupouto`a Tungi.jpg
Tungi, Tupouto'aCrown Prince
Tupoutoʻa Tungī KBE
(1918–2006)
[lower-alpha 1]
12 December 194916 December 196516 years, 4 days Independent Sālote Tupou III
11
Prince Tu'ipelehake (cropped).png
Tuʻipelehake, FatafehiPrince
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake CBE
(1922–1999)
16 December 196522 August 199125 years, 249 days Independent Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
12
ST` Vaea.jpg
Tupou, Siaosi Baron Vaea
(1921–2009)
22 August 19913 January 20008 years, 134 days Independent Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
13
Ulukalala Lavaka Ata.jpg
Tukuʻaho, AhoʻeituPrince
ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
(born 1959)
[lower-alpha 2]
3 January 200011 February 20066 years, 39 days Independent Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
14
Feleti.jpg
Sevele, Feleti Lord Sevele of Vailahi
(born 1944)
30 March 200622 December 20104 years, 314 days HRDM Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
George Tupou V
15
Siale`ataongo Tu`ivakano 2014.jpg
Tuʻivakanō, Sialeʻataongo Lord Tuʻivakanō
(born 1952)
22 December 201030 December 20144 years, 8 days Independent George Tupou V
Tupou VI
16
Akilisi Pohiva ITU 2016.jpg
Pōhiva, Akilisi ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(1941–2019)
30 December 201412 September 2019 4 years, 256 days DPFI Tupou VI
Semisi Sika May 2019.jpg
Sika, Semisi Semisi Sika
(born 1968)
Acting
12 September 20198 October 201926 days DPFI Tupou VI
17
Pohiva Tu`i`onetoa (cropped).jpg
Tuionetoa, Pohiva Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
(1951–2023)
8 October 201927 December 20212 years, 80 days TPPI Tupou VI
18
Siaosi Sovaleni ITU 2017.jpg
Sovaleni, Siaosi Siaosi Sovaleni
(born 1970)
27 December 2021Incumbent1 year, 83 days Independent Tupou VI

Timeline

Siaosi SovaleniPōhiva TuʻiʻonetoaSemisi SikaʻAkilisi PōhivaSialeʻataongo TuʻivakanōFeleti SeveleTupou VIBaron VaeaFatafehi TuʻipelehakeTāufaʻāhau Tupou IVSolomone Ula AtaViliami Tungī MailefihiTevita TuʻivakanoSione Tupou MateialonaSiaosi Tuʻi PelehakeSiosateki VeikuneSiaosi TukuʻahoShirley Waldemar BakerTēvita ʻUngaPrime Minister of Tonga

See also

Notes

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

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References

  1. "New Public Service Remuneration Structure Approved by the Government of Tonga". www.mic.gov.to.
  2. "The Executive government ", Tonga government
  3. "King Tupou VI appoints new Prime Minister". Matangi Tonga. 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  4. "Emotional, Siaosi Sovaleni elected PM Designate". Matangi Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  5. "MPs choose Siaosi Sovaleni as new prime minister". Kaniva Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  6. "Two nominees for PM Designate revealed, meeting underway". Matangi Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  7. Constitution of Tonga Archived 19 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Tonga gets first elected leader", BBC, 13 February 2006
  9. "Tonga's king to cede key powers", BBC, 29 July 2008
  10. "Tongan king promises 'more democracy' for Pacific island", The Guardian, 29 July 2008
  11. "King of Tonga prepares to give up power", The Telegraph, 11 July 2010