Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 604 kilometres northeast of Tonga. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia". Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. The higher level is made up of a limestone cliff running along the coast, with a plateau in the centre of the island reaching approximately 60 metres above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 0.5 km wide and about 25–27 metres high, which slopes down and meets the sea in small cliffs. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi.
The politics of Niue take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief Minister is the head of government, and of a non-partisan system. Niue is self-governing in free association with New Zealand and is fully responsible for internal affairs. New Zealand retains some responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with Niue. The Niue Constitution Act 1974 (NZ) vests executive authority in His Majesty the King in Right of New Zealand and the Governor-General of New Zealand. The constitution specifies that in everyday practice, it is exercised by a Cabinet of the Premier of Niue and three other ministers. The premier and ministers must be members of the Niue Assembly, the nation's legislative assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Mititaiagimene Young Vivian is a Niuean politician and diplomat, who served as Premier of Niue twice, the first time from December 1992 to March 1993 following the death of Sir Robert Rex, and the second from 2002 to 2008. He also served as a Cabinet Minister multiple times, first as Minister of Education, Economic Development and Agriculture and later as Minister of Finance under Robert Rex, and in the Cabinet of Sani Lakatani. From 1979 to 1982 he served as Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission.
The Niue Assembly or Niue Parliament is the legislature of Niue. It consists of 20 members; 14 representatives of the villages and 6 elected on a common island-wide roll. Members are directly elected by universal suffrage, and serve a three-year term. Niue follows the Westminster system of government, with the Premier elected by the Assembly and the Cabinet drawn from it.
Sani Elia Lagigietama Lakatani is a former Premier of Niue. He was a member of the Niue People's Party.
General elections were held in Niue on 7 June, 2008. They were initially expected to be held in April, but were delayed until June 2008. Niue has a 20-member legislative assembly, called the Niue Assembly, whose members are elected by approximately 600 registered voters. The assembly consists of 20 total members, 6 elected on a common roll and 14 representatives of the villages
Frank Fakaotimanava Lui was a Niuean politician, who served as the premier of the Pacific Island state of Niue from 1993 to 1999.
Tauveve O’Love Jacobsen is a Niuean politician and diplomat. She served as Niue's High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2011 to 2017. Her predecessor was Sisilia Talagi, Niue's first female diplomat and High Commissioner. She had previously served as a member of the Niue Assembly and a minister in Toke Talagi's government. She was previously a long-standing leading figure in the informal parliamentary Opposition to Young Vivian's government. She was, from 2008 to 2011, Minister of Health, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Women's Affairs, and Minister in charge of the Niue Power Corporation. She had previously been Minister of Education, Health, Environment, Training and Development. Additionally, Jacobsen is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Patroness of the Niuean Volleyball Association.
Sir Toke Tufukia Talagi was a Niuean politician, diplomat, and statesman. He served as Premier of Niue from 2008 to 2020.
Va'aiga Paotama Tukuitonga is a Niuean politician and former Cabinet Minister. She is member of the Niue Assembly for the village of Alofi North.
General elections were held in Niue on 7 May 2011, to elect the members of the Niue Assembly. In the leadup to the election Speaker of the Niue Assembly Atapana Siakimotu announced that he would be retiring from politics.
Parliamentary elections were held in Niue on 12 April 2014. Candidates supportive of the government of Premier Toke Talagi won 12 of the 20 seats.
Joan Sisiati Tahafa Viliamu was a Niuean politician and Cabinet minister.
Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi is a Niuean politician and Premier of Niue since June 2020. He was elected premier by the Niue Legislative Assembly on 11 June 2020, defeating O'Love Jacobsen by 13 votes to 7.
General elections were held in Niue on 30 May 2020 for the 20 members of the Niue Assembly. The election resulted in the defeat of Premier Toke Talagi, who lost his seat. Fifteen incumbents were re-elected, including three who were unopposed. In Mutalu, a tie between two candidates resulted in one being elected by a coin toss.
Tuagatagaloa Patricia Rex, Lady Rex was a Niuean politician. The wife of Niue's first Premier Robert Rex, she was jointly one of the first women elected to the Niue Assembly. She also designed the flag of Niue.
Billy Graham Talagi is a Niuean politician and former Member of the Niue Assembly. He is the brother of former Premier of Niue Toke Talagi.
The following lists events that happened during 2020 in Niue.
Hunuki Saletogia Hunukitama was a Niuean politician and independent member of the Niue Assembly from 2001 until his death in 2003. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Hunukitama served as the Secretary to the Premier of Niue. Additionally, Hunukitama served in managerial roles across a number of governmental and business organizations.
The 18th Niue Assembly is the current term of the Niue Assembly. Its composition was determined by the general election on 29 April 2023.
