Editing History of Tonga (section)

=== Democratisation and 2010 elections ===

In April 2010 the Legislative Assembly enacted a package of political reforms towards a fully [[representative democracy]], increasing the number of directly elected people's representatives from 9 to 17,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53031 |title=Tonga Parliament enacts political reforms |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2010-04-15 |access-date=2010-04-21 |archive-date=December 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210030212/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53031 |url-status=live }}</ref> with ten seats for [[Tongatapu]], three for [[Vavaʻu]], two for [[Haʻapai]] and one each for [[Niuas]] and [[ʻEua]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53112 |title=Tonga parliament votes on amended boundaries |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2010-04-20 |access-date=2010-04-21 |archive-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612084157/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53112 |url-status=live }}</ref> All of the seats are single-seat constituencies, as opposed to the multi-member constituencies used before. These changes mean that 17 out of 26 representatives (65.4%) would be directly elected, up from 9 out of 30 (30.0%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53125 |title=Tonga's pro-democracy movement hails assembly reform |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2010-04-21 |access-date=2010-04-22 |archive-date=September 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924081452/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ann">{{Cite news|author=Dorney, Sean|title=Tonga prepares for historic poll|url=http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201011/3075671.htm?desktop|newspaper=Australia Network News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2010-11-24|access-date=2010-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314103838/http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201011/3075671.htm?desktop|archive-date=March 14, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The aristocracy would still select its nine representatives, while all remaining seats, which were previously appointed by the monarch, would be abolished.<ref name="ann"/>

[[Tongan general election, 2010|Early general elections]] under the new electoral law were held  on 25 November 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53131 |title=Civics education vital ahead of Tonga election, says advocate |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2010-04-21 |access-date=2010-04-22 |archive-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612084258/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53131 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The [[Times of Tonga|Taimi Media Network]] described the [[2010 Tongan Legislative Assembly]] as "Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament".<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120316143322/http://www.taimionline.com/articles/4154 "Absence of PM from opening of Parliament questioned"]}}, Taimi Media Network, June 9, 2011</ref>
The [[Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands]] (DPFI), founded in September 2010 specifically to fight the election and led by veteran pro-democracy campaigner [['Akilisi Pohiva]], secured the largest number of seats, with 12 out of the seventeen "people's representative" seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/king-prepares-to-hand-over-powers-after-election-in-tonga-20101126-18alc.html|title=King prepares to hand over powers after election in Tonga|last=Malkin|first=Bonnie|date=27 November 2010|work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|access-date=26 November 2010|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801235049/https://www.smh.com.au/world/king-prepares-to-hand-over-powers-after-election-in-tonga-20101126-18alc.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[ʻAkilisi Pohiva]], the MP for [[Tongatapu 1]], had sought to become Prime Minister, but the nobles and independent MP entrusted [[Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō|Lord Tuʻivakanō]] with the task of forming a government, relegating the DPFI to the status of a ''de facto'' [[parliamentary opposition]].<ref name="IP overview">[http://www.ipu.org/parline/reports/2317.htm "Tonga: Fale Alea (Legislative Assembly)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924051459/http://www.ipu.org/parline/reports/2317.htm |date=September 24, 2015 }}, [[Interparliamentary Union]]</ref> 
The DPFI put forward bills for further democratisation, including the proposal of direct election of the Prime Minister from among the 26 elected MPs, as well as of universal suffrage for all 26 MPs. These proposals were not taken forward by the conservative majority.<ref>[http://matangitonga.to/2013/10/24/parliament-rejects-bill-change-tongas-electoral-system "Parliament rejects a Bill to change Tonga's electoral system"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701064624/https://matangitonga.to/2013/10/24/parliament-rejects-bill-change-tongas-electoral-system |date=July 1, 2019 }}, Matangi Tonga, 24 October 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/226216/tonga-democrats-to-table-more-reform-plans "Tonga Democrats to table more reform plans"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213085516/http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/226216/tonga-democrats-to-table-more-reform-plans |date=December 13, 2017 }}, Radio New Zealand International, 30 October 2013</ref>

At the death of King  [[George Tupou V]] on 18 March 2012, his brother ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho became King of Tonga, with the regnal name ʻAhoʻeitu [[Tupou VI]].

[[2014 Tongan general election|New elections in 2014]] saw the DPFI lose three seats to independent candidates. Its leader Pohiva was nevertheless appointed as new Prime Minister of Tonga.
On August 25, 2017 Pohiva was dismissed by the King along with the rest of parliament with fresh elections to be held on [[2017 Tongan general election|November 16]]. The Elections resulted in the DPFI winning 14 seats - enough for Pohivia to form government without relying on nobles' or independent MPs.<ref name=tdnews>{{cite news |first=Iliesa |last=Tora |title=Dawn of a New Era: Pohiva is the first elected commoner to be PM |url=http://www.tongadailynews.to/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/TDN92-PG1-eng.pdf |work=[[Tonga Daily News]] |date=2014-12-31 |access-date=2015-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210045203/http://www.tongadailynews.to/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/TDN92-PG1-eng.pdf |archive-date=February 10, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=abcnews>{{cite news |title=Tongan democracy activist becomes first commoner elected as PM |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/tongan-democracy-activist-becomes-first-commoner-elected-pm/5991824 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)]] |date=2014-12-29 |access-date=2015-02-09 |archive-date=January 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128034117/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/tongan-democracy-activist-becomes-first-commoner-elected-pm/5991824 |url-status=live }}</ref>