Editing Politics of Niue

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Politics of Niue}}
The '''politics of Niue''' take place in a framework of a [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[Dependent territory|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 [[Monarchy in New Zealand|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 (government)|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.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|[[List of Niuean monarchs|Monarch]]
|[[Charles III]] 
|
|8 September 2022
|-
|[[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]]
|[[Cindy Kiro]]
|
|28 September 2021
|-
|[[Premier of Niue|Premier]]
|[[Dalton Tagelagi]]
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|11 June 2020
|}

The monarch is hereditary; his representative in relation to Niue (the Governor-General of New Zealand) is appointed by the monarch. The New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by, and acts solely as a diplomatic agent of, the New Zealand Government. The cabinet is chosen by the premier and appointed by the Speaker of the Niue Assembly and collectively responsible to Parliament.

=== Cabinet ===
The Cabinet is made up of four ministers, each overseeing a different portfolio. Each minister, with the exception of the Premier, has another Member of the Assembly assisting him/her in the operations of their portfolio. Each ministry also has Directory Generals serving as permanent employees of the ministries, as well as directors for each division.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.talaniue.com/new-cabinet-line-up/ |title=New Cabinet Line-up! |publisher=Talaniue |date=11 June 2020 |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! Minister
! Portfolio
! Constituency
! Assistant Minister
|-
| [[Dalton Tagelagi]]
| [[Premier of Niue|Premier]]<br>
Minister for Central and Commercial Agencies<br>
Responsible for the departments of Cabinet & Legislative; Crown Law; NPSC & Secretariat; Police and National Security; Commercial Agencies
| [[Alofi|Alofi South]]
|
|-
| [[Crossley Tatui]]
| Minister of Finance and Infrastructure<br>
Responsible for the departments of Finance and Planning; Transport; Communications; Utilities
| Common roll representative
| 
|-
| [[Mona Ainu'u]]
| Minister of Natural Resources<br>
Responsible for the departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery; Meteorological Services; Environment
| [[Tuapa]]
| 
|-
| [[Sauni Tongatule]]
| Minister for Education and Social Services<br>
Responsible for the departments of Justice; Taoga Niue; Education; Health
| Common role representative
| 
|}

==Legislative branch==
The [[Niue Assembly|Assembly]] has 20 members elected for a three-year term, 6 elected on a nationwide list, called the common roll, and 14 representatives of the villages. Electors must be New Zealand citizens, resident for at least three months, and candidates must have been electors, resident for twelve months. The speaker is elected from among the members.

==Political parties and elections==
In Niue, [[political parties]] have never played an important role. There is, at present, no political party, and candidates to elections therefore run as independents. The only party ever to have existed, the [[Niue People's Party]], disbanded in 2003.

As there are no political parties, there is no formal [[Opposition (parliamentary)|parliamentary Opposition]], though there are MPs who oppose the government.

{{Niuean political parties}}

===Latest election===
{{Main|2023 Niuean general election}}

===By-elections===

Below is a list of recent by-elections:

{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=2 width=95%
|-----
|align=center|'''Election'''
|align=center|'''Date'''
|align=center|'''Reason'''
|align=center|'''Winner'''
|----- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|1988 Common Roll by-election
|November 1988
|
||[[O'Love Jacobsen]]
|----- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|[[1997 Niue Common Roll by-election|1997 Common Roll by-election]]
|15 February 1997
|Death of [[Toeono Tongatule]]
||[[Billy Talagi]]
|----- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|[[2001 Niue Common Roll by-election|2001 Common Roll by-election]]
|2 April 2001
|Resignation of [[Hima Douglas]]
||[[Hunuki Hunukitama]]
|----- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|[[2003 Niue Common Roll by-election|2003 Common Roll by-election]]
|30 August 2003
|Death of [[Hunuki Hunukitama]]
||[[Krypton Okesene]]
|----- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|[[2012 Toi by-election]]
|31 March 2012
|MP disqualified due to improperly administered oath
||[[Dion Taufitu]]
|}

==Judicial branch==
{{See also|Court system of Niue}}

The [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] sitting in the United Kingdom is Niue's highest court. On the island, there is a Court of Appeal (which sat in New Zealand until 2009), and the High Court of Niue.<ref name="Niue criminal court system">{{cite web |url=http://www.acclawyers.org/resources/Niue/ |title=Niuean criminal court system |publisher=Association of Commonwealth Criminal Lawyers |access-date=2010-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223409/http://www.acclawyers.org/resources/niue/ |archive-date=2011-07-24 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

The current Chief Justice of the High Court is [[Craig Coxhead]].<ref name=coxhead>{{Cite web|title=Appointment ceremony for the Chief Justice and a Judge of the High Court of Niue|url=https://gg.govt.nz/governor-general/blog/2018/11/appointment-ceremony-chief-justice-and-judge-high-court-niue|access-date=2021-04-11|website=gg.govt.nz|language=en-NZ}}</ref> The Chief Justice is chosen by the [[Governor-General of New Zealand]] on advice from the [[cabinet of Niue]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Levine|first=Stephen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cZRNDAAAQBAJ&q=niue+court+system&pg=PT226|title=Pacific Ways: Government and Politics in the Pacific Islands|date=2016-06-01|publisher=Victoria University Press|isbn=978-1-77656-026-4|language=en}}</ref>

=== Public Defender of Niue ===
Initially, it was the Crown Counsel of New Zealand that provided legal assistance to those accused of serious offenses such as murder. In 1971, the Select Committee on the Appointment of a Public Defender recommended that the Government of Niue provide any offenders with court representation. John Funaki (a non-attorney) was the first to serve as the Public Defender of Niue in 1976.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EHK-KywQDnMC&pg=PA187|title=Pacific Courts and Legal Systems|last1=Powles|first1=Guy|last2=Pulea|first2=Mere|date=1988|publisher=editorips@usp.ac.fj|isbn=9789820200432|language=en}}</ref> Even today, the government provides funding for a Public Defender.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pilonsec.org/images/stories/Documents/CountryReports/28th/PILON+-+Niue+Country+Report.pdf|title=Pacific Island Legal Officers Network; 12th – 16th November 2009, Samoa. Country Report: Niue|website=Pilonsec.org|access-date=8 June 2020}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
Niue is divided in 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.nu/wb/pages/parliament.php |title=Parliament |publisher=Government of Niue |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref>

==International organization participation==

* [[African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States|African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States]] ([[Cotonou Agreement|Cotounu Convention]])
* [[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific|U.N. Economic and Social Committee for Asia and the Pacific]] (associate)
* [[Intelsat]] (nonsignatory user)
* [[Pacific Islands Forum]]
* [[South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement|South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement (SPARTECA)]]
* [[Pacific Community|The Pacific Community (SPC)]]
* [[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)]]
* [[World Health Organization]]
* [[World Meteorological Organization]]

==Local government==
Local Government in Niue is established under the provisions of the Niue Village Council Act 1967.  Every [[village]] in Niue have a [[Town council|Village council]], the term in office is three years before going back to the polls.  The election of the members of the village council follows the same rules and regulations used in the [[General election|General Election]] to elect members of the [[Niue Assembly|Niue Legislative Assembly]] (parliament).  At the first meeting of the Village Council the Chairman will be elected, including the Deputy Chair and the appointment of the Secretary/Treasurer.  The Village Council receives grants from the Government, donor agencies also fund some development projects.  The Council use to organize show days and conduct [[fundraising]] activities to generate [[revenue]] to help run some of the activities of the village.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

=== Attorney General of Niue ===
Before achieving independence in 1974, there was an Attorney General for Niue that also served as the Attorney General for New Zealand. However, it would not be until 1996 that Niue would create the official title of Attorney General after amending the Niue Act 1966. Nevertheless, the amendment would not create much of a constitutional change, and the introduction of the Interpretation Act 2004 instated the Crown Law Office as providing legal advice to the Niue government. As a result, it was advised in 2004 that the post of Attorney General be repealed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/Declarations.aspx?index=Niue&lang=_en&chapter=18&treaty=379|title=UNTC|website=treaties.un.org|access-date=2018-03-14}}</ref>

The head of the Crown Law Office functions as a public servant, and the Public Service Commission designates the titles for the service officers. The Crown Law Office is responsible for advising the government ministries, and advises the police in regards to criminal prosecution. Due to the lack of attorneys in Niue, there are certain instances in which the office will provide legal presentation to Niue residents.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Angelo|first=Tony|date=2011|title=Variations on a theme: When is an Attorney General not an Attorney-General|url=http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1419&context=blr|journal=Bond Law Review|volume=23:2}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Attorney General of Niue
!Years of Service
|-
|A'e'au Semi Epati<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/district-court-judge-appointed|title=District Court Judge appointed|work=The Beehive|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en}}</ref>
|c. 1995-1996
|-
|Warner Banks<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/188604/warner-banks-finds-his-paradise|title=Warner Banks finds his paradise|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/292801/political-trouble-paradise-sees-controversial-lawman-warner-banks-given-one|title=Political trouble in paradise sees controversial lawman Warner Banks given one|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en}}</ref>
|c. 1997-1999
|-
|[[Togia Sioneholo]]*<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2002/01/23/top-law-job-vacant-niue|title=TOP LAW JOB VACANT IN NIUE {{!}} Pacific Islands Report|website=www.pireport.org|language=en|access-date=2018-03-14}}</ref>
|c. 2002-2004
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>He may have spent the majority of his service as the Acting Attorney General as the Niue government had difficulty filling the position.

==See also==
* [[Cabinet of Niue]]
* [[Electoral calendar]]
* [[Electoral system]]
* [[Foreign relations of Niue]]
* [[List of political parties by country]] to browse parties by country

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.gov.nu/ Government of Niue]

{{Niuean elections|state=expanded}}
{{Oceania in topic|Elections in}}
{{Niue topics}}

[[Category:Politics of Niue| ]]
[[Category:Elections in Niue| ]]
[[Category:Lists of political parties by dependent territory|Niue]]
[[Category:Political parties in Niue| ]]