Editing Politics of Tuvalu (section)

===The dismissal of the government of Willy Telavi in August 2013===

See also; ''[[Tuvaluan constitutional crisis]]''

[[Lotoala Metia]], the [[Minister of Finance of Tuvalu|Minister of Finance]], died on 21 December 2012.<ref name="IB01013">{{cite web |last=Matau |first=Robert |work=Islands Business |title=Another by-election for Tuvalu soon? |date=January 2013 |url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/2013/1/politics/another-by-election-for-tuvalu-soon/ |access-date=11 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502172649/http://islandsbusiness.com/2013/1/politics/another-by-election-for-tuvalu-soon/ |archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref> The calling of a by-election was delayed until the High Court of Tuvalu ordered the prime minister to issue a notice to hold the by-election.<ref name="AG131">{{cite web| work= PACLII |title= Attorney General, In re Application under Section 131(1) of the Constitution of Tuvalu [2014] TVHC 15; Civil Case 1.2013 (24 May 2013)|url= http://www.paclii.org/tv/cases/TVHC/2014/15.html| access-date=5 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="SPS">{{cite web|last=Matau|first=Robert|title=Tuvalu's high court orders by-election to be held|publisher=Island Business|date=June 2013|url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/2013/6/politics/tuvalus-high-court-orders-by-election-to-be-held/|access-date=11 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053300/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/2013/6/politics/tuvalus-high-court-orders-by-election-to-be-held/|archive-date=21 September 2013}}</ref> The [[2013 Nukufetau by-election]] was held on 28 June.<ref name="candidates & date">[http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1437/tuvalus-former-pm-sopoaga-has-another-shot/ "Tuvalu's former PM Sopoaga has another shot"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053304/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1437/tuvalus-former-pm-sopoaga-has-another-shot/ |date=21 September 2013 }}, ''[[Islands Business]]'', 10 June 2013</ref> The Nukufetau by-election was won by the opposition candidate [[Elisala Pita]].<ref>[http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1636/tuvalus-opposition-waiting-to-hear-from-gg/ "Tuvalu's Opposition waiting to hear from GG"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108011424/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1636/tuvalus-opposition-waiting-to-hear-from-gg/ |date=8 January 2014 }}, ''[[Islands Business]]'', 1 July 2013</ref> A [[Tuvaluan constitutional crisis|constitutional crisis]] developed when prime minister Telavi responded that, under the Constitution, he was only required to convene parliament once a year, and was thus under no obligation to summon it until December 2013.<ref name="RNZI020713">{{cite web|title= Parliament needs one yearly meeting only says defiant Tuvalu PM| publisher=Radio New Zealand International|date =2 July 2013|url= http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=77230}}</ref>

Tuvalu's opposition then requested the [[Governor-General of Tuvalu|governor-general]] Sir [[Iakoba Italeli]] to intervene against the prime minister's decision.<ref name="RA020713">{{cite web| last =Coutts | first =Geraldine | work= Radio Australia |title= Tuvalu opposition demands parliament be allowed to sit after weekend by-election |date =2 July 2013|url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/tuvalu-opposition-demands-parliament-be-allowed-to-sit-after-weekend-byelection/1154762| access-date=19 July 2013}}</ref> On 3 July the governor-general exercised his [[reserve power]]s in ordering parliament to convene.<ref name="IB030713">{{cite web|last=Matau|first=Robert|title=Tuvalu's parliament convenes July 30|publisher=Island Business|date=3 July 2013|url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1725/tuvalus-parliament-convenes-july-30/|access-date=11 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053503/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/1725/tuvalus-parliament-convenes-july-30/|archive-date=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The parliament convened on 30 July 2013. In an attempt to avoid a [[vote of no confidence]], prime minister Willy Telavi tabled a motion to [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolve parliament]], but this was subsequently defeated by the opposition by 8 votes to 5.<ref name="IB300713">{{cite web| last =Matau| first =Robert| work =Islands Business| title =Tuvalu govt bombshells| date =30 July 2013| url =http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/2146/tuvalu-govt-bombshells/| access-date =11 August 2013| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140429162109/http://islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/2146/tuvalu-govt-bombshells/| archive-date =29 April 2014}}</ref> The same day [[Taom Tanukale]], the health minister, resigned from the parliament (and thus also from the government).<ref name="IB300713"/> His resignation appeared to be political manoeuvre as Willy Telavi responded by insisting that parliament should be suspended until a by-election was held and declined to call the by-election. In Tuvalu a by-election can only be called when requested by the prime minister.<ref name="RA310713">{{cite web| last = Cooney | first = Campbell | work= Australia News Network |title= Tuvalu speaker blocks no-confidence motion|date =31 July 2013|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-31/tuvalu-speaker-blocks-no-confidence-motion/4856426| access-date=5 August 2013}}</ref>

The governor-general then proceeded to exercise his reserve powers to order Mr Telavi's removal and the appointment of [[Enele Sopoaga]] as interim prime minister.<ref name=IB010814>{{cite news| url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/2183/gg-appoints-sopoaga-as-tuvalus-caretaker-pm/| last=Matau| first=Robert| title=GG appoints Sopoaga as Tuvalu's caretaker PM| date=1 August 2013| newspaper=Island Business| access-date=8 August 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010153108/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/tuvalu/2183/gg-appoints-sopoaga-as-tuvalus-caretaker-pm/| archive-date=10 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="SMH020813">{{cite web| last=AFP| first=Report| work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |title= Dismissal crisis rocks Tuvalu|date =2 August 2013|url= http://www.smh.com.au/world/dismissal-crisis-rocks-tuvalu-20130802-2r54l.html#ixzz2b3BIryEF| access-date=5 August 2013}}</ref> The governor-general also ordered that parliament sit on Friday 2 August to allow a vote of no-confidence in Mr Telavi and his government.<ref name="RA010813">{{cite web| last = Cooney | first = Campbell | work= Australia News Network |title= Tuvalu government faces constitutional crisis|date =1 August 2013|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-01/tuvalu-government-in-crisis/4859432| access-date=5 August 2013}}</ref> Telavi then proceeded to write to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] (as the head of state of Tuvalu) informing her that he was dismissing Mr Italeli from his position as governor-general.<ref name="SMH020813"/><ref name=ABC>{{cite news| url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-01/tuvalu-government-in-crisis/4859432| title=Tuvalu government faces constitutional crisis| date=1 August 2013| publisher=Australia Network News| access-date=8 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-06/tuvalu-new-pm-confident-of-winning-next-election/4869580| last=Cooney| first=Campbell| title=Confident Tuvalu PM voice for climate change| date=6 August 2013| publisher=ABC| access-date=8 August 2013}}</ref> The Queen gave no indication of her reaction to Telavi's letter, leaving Italeli's position secure.<ref name=ABC />

On Friday 2 August, Willy Tevali faced a motion of no confidence; the voting was eight for the motion, four against and one abstention - the speaker of parliament abstained from voting on the motion.<ref name="RA040813">{{cite web| last = Cooney | first = Campbell | work= Australia News Network |title=Tuvalu parliament elects new prime minister|date =4 August 2013|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-02/an-tuvalu-parliament-votes-to-remove-pm-telavi/4861930| access-date=5 August 2013}}</ref>