Editing Tonga (section)

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of Tonga}}
[[File:King George, of the Friendly Islands (1852, p.1, IX) - Copy.jpg|thumb|King George, of the Friendly Islands (1852)<ref name="Juvenile1852">{{cite journal|title=King George, of the Friendly Islands|journal=The Wesleyan Juvenile Offering: A Miscellany of Missionary Information for Young Persons|date=1852|volume=IX|page=1|url=https://archive.org/download/wesleyanjuvenil08socigoog/wesleyanjuvenil08socigoog.pdf|access-date=24 February 2016}}</ref>]]

Tonga is a [[constitutional monarchy]]. It is the only extant indigenous monarchy in the Pacific islands (see also [[Hawaiian Kingdom|Hawaiʻi]]). Reverence for the monarch replaces that held in earlier centuries for the sacred paramount chief, the Tuʻi Tonga. Criticism of the monarch is held to be contrary to Tongan culture and etiquette. Tonga provides for its citizens a free and mandatory education for all, secondary education with only nominal fees, and foreign-funded scholarships for postsecondary education.

[[File:George Tupou I, c. 1880s.jpg|thumb|[[Tāufaʻāhau]], King of Tonga (1845–1893)]]

The pro-democracy movement in Tonga promotes reforms, including better representation in the Parliament for the majority of commoners, and better accountability in matters of state. An overthrow of the monarchy is not part of the movement, and the institution of monarchy continues to hold popular support, even while reforms are advocated. Until recently, the governance issue was generally ignored by the leaders of other countries, but major aid donors and neighbours New Zealand and Australia are now expressing concerns about some Tongan government actions.

Following the precedents of Queen Sālote and the counsel of numerous international advisors, the government of Tonga under King [[Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV]] (reigned 1965–2006) monetised the economy, internationalised the medical and education systems, and enabled access by commoners to increasing forms of material wealth (houses, cars, and other commodities), education, and overseas travel.

Male [[LGBT rights in Tonga|homosexuality]] is illegal in Tonga,<ref>{{cite news |title=Cooks bill puts spotlight on Pacific's anti-gay laws |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/337461/cooks-bill-puts-spotlight-on-pacific-s-anti-gay-laws |work=RNZ News |date=21 August 2017 |access-date=1 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731095647/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/337461/cooks-bill-puts-spotlight-on-pacific-s-anti-gay-laws |archive-date=31 July 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> with a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/186525.pdf|title=Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Tonga|access-date=8 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524160837/https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/186525.pdf|archive-date=24 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> but the law is [[Unenforced law|not enforced]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Tonga |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/186525.pdf}}</ref> Tongans have universal access to a national health care system. The [[Constitution of Tonga]] protects land ownership; land cannot be sold to foreigners (although it may be leased).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.propertytonga.com/land-law-in-tonga.html |title=Articles:Listing Tonga |publisher=Property Tonga |access-date=20 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216051530/http://www.propertytonga.com/land-law-in-tonga.html |archive-date=16 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Political culture===
[[File:Kingtupou.jpg|thumb|[[Tupou VI|King Tupou VI]] during his coronation on 4 July 2015]]

King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV and his government made some problematic economic decisions and were accused by democracy activists, including former prime minister [[ʻAkilisi Pōhiva]], of wasting millions of dollars on unwise investments. The problems have mostly been driven by attempts to increase national revenue through a variety of schemes – considering making Tonga a nuclear waste disposal site (an idea floated in the mid 1990s by the current crown prince),<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071013151423/http://michaelfield.org/tonga3.htm Tonga's king tricked by Korean sea water to natural gas scam]}}. michaelfield.org (December 1997).</ref> and selling Tongan Protected Persons Passports (which eventually forced Tonga to naturalise the purchasers, sparking ethnicity-based concerns within Tonga).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/tonga/3039020044.html |title=Tonga : In Depth : History |publisher=Frommers.com |access-date=27 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606234210/http://www.frommers.com/destinations/tonga/3039020044.html |archive-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Schemes also included the [[Flag state|registering of foreign ships]] (which proved to be engaged in illegal activities, including shipments for [[al-Qaeda]]),<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/13/1041990234408.html |title=The ships that died of shame |newspaper=smh.com.au |date=14 January 2003 |access-date=27 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602063205/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/13/1041990234408.html |archive-date=2 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[TONGASAT|claiming geo-orbital satellite slots]] (the revenue from which seems to belong to the Princess Royal, not the state),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mendosa.com/tongasat.html |title=Tongasat |publisher=Mendosa.com |date=30 December 1996 |access-date=27 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217191723/http://mendosa.com/tongasat.html |archive-date=17 December 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> holding a long-term charter on an unusable [[Boeing 757]] that was sidelined in [[Auckland]] Airport, leading to the collapse of [[Royal Tongan Airlines]],<ref>{{Cite web|author=iSite Interactive Limited |url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=3896/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl |title=No Govt Support Blamed for Airline Collapse |publisher=Islands Business |access-date=27 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701041656/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=3896/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl |archive-date=1 July 2009 }}</ref> and approving a factory for exporting cigarettes to China (against the advice of Tongan medical officials and decades of health-promotion messaging).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tobacco.org/articles/country/tonga/ |title=Articles:Listing Tonga |publisher=Tobacco.org |access-date=27 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314014438/http://www.tobacco.org/articles/country/tonga/ |archive-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The king proved vulnerable to speculators with big promises and lost reportedly US$26&nbsp;million to [[Jesse Bogdonoff]], a financial adviser who called himself the king's [[jester|court jester]]. The police imprisoned pro-democracy leaders, and the government repeatedly confiscated the newspaper ''The Tongan Times'' (printed in New Zealand and sold in Tonga) because the editor had been vocally critical of the king's mistakes.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/next/962tongan.html |title=The contempt case of the 'Tongan Three' |journal=Pacific Journalism Review |author=Robie, David |volume=3 |issue=2 |date=November 1996 |access-date=14 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824234259/http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/next/962tongan.html |archive-date=24 August 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> Notably, the ''Keleʻa'', produced specifically to critique the government and printed in Tonga by pro-democracy leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, was not banned during that time. Pōhiva, however, had been subjected to harassment in the form of [[Barratry (common law)|barratry]] (frequent lawsuits).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/140250/tongan-court-case-over-wrongful-imprisonment-recommences|publisher=Radio NZ|title=Tongan Court Case Over Wrongful Imprisonment Recommences |date=31 July 2002|access-date=7 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916225459/http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/140250/tongan-court-case-over-wrongful-imprisonment-recommences|archive-date=16 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In mid-2003, the government passed a radical constitutional amendment to "Tonganize" the press, by licensing and limiting freedom of the press, so as to protect the image of the monarchy. The amendment was defended by the government and by royalists on the basis of traditional cultural values. Licensure criteria include 80% ownership by Tongans living in the country. {{As of|2004|2}}, those papers denied licenses under the new act included the ''Taimi ʻo Tonga'' (''Tongan Times''), the ''Keleʻa,'' and the ''Matangi Tonga''{{snd}}while those permitted licenses were uniformly church-based or pro-government.

[[File:Royal Palace, Nuku'alofa.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Royal Palace, Tonga|Royal Palace of Tonga]]]]

The bill was opposed in a several-thousand-strong protest march in the capital, a call by the Tuʻi Pelehake (a prince, nephew of the king and elected member of parliament) for Australia and other nations to pressure the Tongan government to democratise the electoral system, and a legal writ calling for a judicial investigation of the bill. The latter was supported by some 160 signatures, including seven of the nine elected "People's Representatives".

The then-Crown Prince [[George Tupou V|Tupoutoʻa]] and Pilolevu, the Princess Royal, remained generally silent on the issue. In total, the changes threatened to destabilise the polity, fragment support for the status quo, and place further pressure on the monarchy.

In 2005, the government spent several weeks negotiating with striking civil-service workers before reaching a settlement. The civil unrest that ensued was not limited to Tonga; protests outside the King's New Zealand residence made headlines.

Prime Minister Prince [[Tupou VI|ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho (Lavaka Ata ʻUlukālala)]] (now King Tupou VI) resigned suddenly on 11 February 2006 and also gave up his other cabinet portfolios. The elected minister of labour, [[Feleti Sevele]], replaced him in the interim.

On 5 July 2006, a driver in [[Menlo Park, California]], caused the deaths of Prince [[Tuʻipelehake (ʻUluvalu)|Tuʻipelehake ʻUluvalu]], his wife, and their driver. Tuʻipelehake, 55, was the cochairman of the constitutional reform commission and a nephew of the king.

[[File:Looters.jpg|thumb|Riots in Nukuʻalofa, 2006]]

The public expected some changes when George Tupou V succeeded his father in September 2006. On [[2006 Tonga riots|16 November 2006, rioting broke out]] in the capital city of [[Nukuʻalofa]] when it seemed that the parliament would adjourn for the year without having made any advances in increasing democracy in government. Pro-democracy activists burned and looted shops, offices, and government buildings. As a result, more than 60% of the downtown area was destroyed and as many as six&nbsp;people died.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/crime/riot161106.shtml |title=Rioting crowd leaves leaves trail of wreckage in Nuku'alofa |publisher=Matangitonga.to |date=16 November 2006 |access-date=27 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609173107/http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/crime/riot161106.shtml |archive-date=9 June 2010 }}</ref> The disturbances were ended by action from [[His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga)|Tongan Security Forces]] and troops from New Zealand-led Joint Task Force.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/tonga/adf-deployment-to-tonga-2006/|title=ADF deployment to Tonga, 2006|date=17 January 2012|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519085152/http://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/tonga/adf-deployment-to-tonga-2006/|archive-date=19 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 29 July 2008, the Palace announced that King George Tupou V would relinquish much of his power and would surrender his role in day-to-day governmental affairs to the Prime Minister. The royal chamberlain said that this was being done to prepare the monarchy for 2010, when most of the first parliament would be elected, and added: "The Sovereign of the only Polynesian kingdom ... is voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people." The previous week, the government said the king had sold state assets that had contributed to much of the royal family's wealth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7530209.stm|title=Tonga's king to cede key powers|access-date=31 July 2008|work=BBC News|date=29 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208145840/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7530209.stm|archive-date=8 February 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 15 March 2012, King George Tupou V contracted pneumonia and was brought to [[Queen Mary Hospital (Hong Kong)|Queen Mary Hospital]] in [[Hong Kong]]. He was later diagnosed with leukaemia. His health deteriorated significantly shortly thereafter, and he died at 3:15&nbsp;pm on 18 March 2012.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple/art_main.php?iss_id=20120319&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=12731&art_id=16168607|script-title=zh:蘋果日報 – 20120319 – 患血癌染肺炎 搶救數日無效湯加國王 駕崩瑪麗醫院|access-date=19 March 2012|work=Appledaily News HK|date=19 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321193353/http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple/art_main.php?iss_id=20120319&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=12731&art_id=16168607|archive-date=21 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> He was succeeded by his brother [[Tupou VI]], who was crowned on 4 July 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-04/tonga-formally-crowns-king-tupou-vi-in-lavish-coronation/6595288|title=Tonga crowns King Tupou VI in lavish public coronation, parties|work=ABC News|date=2015-07-04|access-date=8 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706225541/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-04/tonga-formally-crowns-king-tupou-vi-in-lavish-coronation/6595288|archive-date=6 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{Further|Foreign relations of Tonga}}

Tonga's foreign policy {{as of| January 2009 | lc=yes}} was described by [[Matangi Tonga]] as "Look East"{{snd}}specifically, as establishing closer diplomatic and economic relations with Asia (which actually lies to the north-west of the Pacific kingdom). As of 2021, China has attained great influence in Tonga, financing infrastructure projects, including a new royal palace and holding two thirds of the country's foreign debt.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Luthi|first=Susannah|title=Meth, Vanilla and 'Gulags': How China Has Overtaken the South Pacific One Island at a Time|url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/29/tonga-china-south-pacific-influence-506370|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Politico|date=29 August 2021 |language=en|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829164516/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/29/tonga-china-south-pacific-influence-506370|url-status=live}}</ref>

Tonga retains cordial relations with the United States. Although it remains on good terms with the United Kingdom, the two countries do not maintain particularly close relations. The United Kingdom closed its High Commission in Tonga in 2006, although it was re-established in January 2020 after a 14-year absence. Tonga's relations with Oceania's regional powers, Australia and New Zealand, are good.<ref name="matangitonga.to">[https://matangitonga.to/2009/01/12/tongas-diplomatic-community-grows "Tonga's diplomatic community grows"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810040105/https://matangitonga.to/2009/01/12/tongas-diplomatic-community-grows |date=10 August 2021 }}, Matangi Tonga, 12 January 2009.</ref>

Tonga maintains strong regional ties in the Pacific. It is a full member of the [[Pacific Islands Forum]], the [[South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission]], the [[South Pacific Tourism Organisation]], the [[Pacific Regional Environment Programme]], and the [[Secretariat of the Pacific Community]].

In 2023, the governments of Tonga and other islands vulnerable to climate change ([[Fiji]], [[Niue]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]] and [[Vanuatu]]) launched the "Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific", calling for the phase out [[fossil fuel]]s and the "rapid and [[just transition]]" to [[renewable energy]] and strengthening [[environmental law]], including introducing the crime of [[ecocide]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Six Island Nations Commit to 'Fossil Fuel-Free Pacific,' Demand Global Just Transition |url=https://www.commondreams.org/news/fossil-fuel-free-pacific |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=www.commondreams.org |language=en |archive-date=16 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616003648/https://www.commondreams.org/news/fossil-fuel-free-pacific |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-22 |title=Port Vila call to phase out fossil fuels |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/486463/port-vila-call-to-phase-out-fossil-fuels |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701175204/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/486463/port-vila-call-to-phase-out-fossil-fuels |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ligaiula |first=Pita |date=2023-03-17 |title=Port Vila call for a just transition to a fossil fuel free Pacific {{!}} PINA |url=https://pina.com.fj/2023/03/17/port-vila-call-for-a-just-transition-to-a-fossil-fuel-free-pacific/ |access-date=2023-07-01 |language=en-US |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701175216/https://pina.com.fj/2023/03/17/port-vila-call-for-a-just-transition-to-a-fossil-fuel-free-pacific/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Military===
{{Main|His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga)|l1=Tonga Defence Services}}

The Tongan government supported the American "[[Coalition of the willing (Iraq War)|coalition of the willing]]" action in [[Iraq]] and deployed more than 40 soldiers (as part of an American force) in late 2004. The contingent returned home on 17 December 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://matangitonga.to/2004/12/21/tongan-marines-return-safely-christmas |title=Tongan Marines return safely for Christmas |publisher=Matangi Tonga |date=21 December 2004 |access-date=14 March 2023 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209205015/https://matangitonga.to/2004/12/21/tongan-marines-return-safely-christmas |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, a second contingent went to Iraq, and two more were sent during 2008 as part of continued support for the coalition. Tongan involvement concluded at the end of 2008 with no reported loss of life.

In 2010, Brigadier General Tauʻaika ʻUtaʻatu, commander of the [[Tonga Defence Services]], signed an agreement in London committing a minimum of 200 troops to co-operate with Britain's International Security Assistance Force in [[Afghanistan]]. The task was completed in April 2014, and the UK presented Operational Service Medals to each of the soldiers involved during a parade held in Tonga.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/TonganTroopsToWorkWithUkAndOtherIsafForcesInAfghanistan.htm|title=Tongan troops to work with UK and other ISAF forces in Afghanistan|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=22 September 2010|access-date=1 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403155855/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/TonganTroopsToWorkWithUkAndOtherIsafForcesInAfghanistan.htm|archive-date=3 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

Tonga has contributed troops and police to the [[Bougainville Province|Bougainville]] conflict in Papua-New Guinea and to the Australian-led [[RAMSI]] force in the [[Solomon Islands]].

=== Administrative divisions ===
{{Further|Administrative divisions of Tonga}}
Tonga is subdivided into five administrative divisions: [[ʻEua]], [[Haʻapai]], [[Niuas]], [[Tongatapu]], and [[Vavaʻu]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081118160301/http://www.spc.int/prism/Country/TO/stats/Census06/Population/population.htm Population Census 2006: Population size, Trend, Distribution and Structure], Tonga Department of Statistics</ref><ref>[http://www.statoids.com/uto.html Divisions of Tonga] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102111032/http://www.statoids.com/uto.html |date=2 November 2013 }}, Statoids.com</ref>