Legislative Assembly of Tonga

A Legislative Assembly providing for representation of nobles and commoners was established in 1862 by King George Tupou I.{{cite book |title=Tonga-Samoa Handbook |author=David Stanley |year=1999 |isbn=978-1-56691-174-0 |page=198|publisher=David Stanley }} This body met every four years and was continued in the 1875 Constitution.

Originally the Legislative Assembly consisted of all holders of noble titles, an equal number of people's representatives, the governors for Haʻapai and Vavaʻu, and at least four Cabinet Ministers chosen by the monarch.{{cite journal |title=The Quest for Constitutional Reform in Tonga |author=Ian Campbell |journal=Journal of Pacific History |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=91–104 |year=2005 |doi=10.1080/00223340500082400|s2cid=22501018 }} An increase in the number of nobles from twenty to thirty saw the Assembly grow to 70 members.Campbell (2005), p. 93. Amendments in 1914 saw a reduction in the size of the Assembly and annual sittings. The principle of equal representation of nobles and commoners was retained.{{cite web |url=https://www.pmo.gov.to/ourconstitution/the-contitution/our-constitution-history-english.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824195249/https://www.pmo.gov.to/ourconstitution/the-contitution/our-constitution-history-english.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 August 2010 |author=Sione Latukefu |title=History of our Constitution |publisher=Government of Tonga |access-date=2010-03-02 }}

In April 2010 the Legislative Assembly enacted a package of political reforms, increasing the number of people's representatives from nine to seventeen,{{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}} with ten seats for Tongatapu, three for Vavaʻu, two for Haʻapai and one each for Niuas and ʻEua.{{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}}

The 100-year-old Tongan Parliament House was destroyed by Cyclone Gita, a Category 4 tropical cyclone that passed through the nation on 12 and 13 February 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43039931 |title=Tonga parliament building flattened by Cyclone Gita |publisher=BBC News |date=13 February 2018 }} Parliament subsequently moved to the Tongan National Centre complex in Tofoa. In November 2021 the Tongan government announced that a new parliament building would be constructed on Nukuʻalofa's waterfront.{{cite web |url=https://matangitonga.to/2021/11/14/tongas-new%20parliament-seafront |title=Tonga's new multi-million Parliament Building to be built on seafront |publisher=Matangi Tonga |date=14 November 2021 |access-date=15 November 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114080916/https://matangitonga.to/2021/11/14/tongas-new%20parliament-seafront |archive-date=14 November 2021}}

The assembly has 26 members in which 17 members are elected by the people for 5-year term in single-seat constituencies via the single non-transferable vote system. There are 9 members elected by the 33 hereditary nobles of Tonga.

The Legislative Assembly is presided over by a Speaker, who is elected by majority of the elected members of Parliament at the first meeting after the general election and constitutionally appointed by the king.{{Cite web | url=https://www.parliament.gov.to/about-our-parliament/faqs | title=FAQs}} Prior to 2010, the Speaker was appointed by the monarch.[http://parliament.gov.to/constitution1.htm Constitution of Tonga] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119232721/http://parliament.gov.to/constitution1.htm |date=2008-11-19 }}, s. 61

A complete list of the Speakers is below:{{Cite web |url=http://www.mic.gov.to/timeline-box/2458-royal-birthdays |title=List of Speakers of the Tongan Legislative Assembly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814173209/http://www.mic.gov.to/timeline-box/2458-royal-birthdays |archive-date=14 August 2020 |url-status=dead}}

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| Hon. Siaosi Tukuʻaho|| 1897 || 1897 ||

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| Hon. Siaosi Tuʻipelehake|| 1897 || 1912 ||

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| Hon. Finau ʻUlukalala || 1912 || 1938 ||

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| {{Interlanguage link|Fotuʻa Falefā Veikune|lt=Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune|to|Fotu ʻa Falefā Veikune}}|| 1939 || 1940 || 1st term

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| {{Interlanguage link|Siosiua Niutupuʻivaha Kaho|lt=Hon. Tuʻivakanō|to|}}|| 1941 || 1941 || 1st term

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEE;"

| {{Interlanguage link|Fīnauvalevale Finefeuaki|lt=Hon. Nuku|to|}}|| 1942 || 1944 ||

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune || 1945 || 1945 || 2nd term

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| Hon. Tuʻivakanō || 1946 || 1948 || 2nd term

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| Hon. Iosaiasi Veikune || 1949 || 1949 || 3rd term

|- style='???:#background";???:EEEEEE;???:";'

| Hon. Tuʻivakanō || 1950 || 1950 || 3rd term

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| Hon. Kalaniuvalu || 1951 || 1958 ||

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| {{Interlanguage link|Hon. Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi|to|Tēvita ʻUnga Tangitau}}|| 1959 || 1984 ||

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| {{Interlanguage link|Hon. Kalaniuvalu Fotofili|to|Siosiua Ngalumoetutulu Kalaniuvalu}} || 1985 || 1986 ||

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| Hon. Malupo || 1987 || 1989 ||

|- style="???:background" ;EEEEEE;"

| Lord Fusituʻa || 1990 || 1998 || {{cite web |title="Late Lord Fusitu'a achieved four levels of God's goodness" – Dr. Tevita Havea says |url=https://www.parliament.gov.to/media-centre/latest-news/latest-news-in-english/220-late-lord-fusitu-a-achieved-four-levels-of-god-s-goodness-dr-tevita-havea-says |website=www.parliament.gov.to}}

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Lord Veikune || April 1999 || 2001 || 1st term

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|Lord Tuʻivakanō|| 1 July 2002 || 2004 || 1st term

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|Lord Veikune || 22 March 2005 || January 2006 || 2nd term

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

| Lord Tuʻihaʻangana|| 10 February 2006 || April 2008 || {{cite web |url=http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2317_05.htm |title=Tonga: ELECTIONS IN 2005 |publisher=Inter-Parliamentary Union |access-date=18 August 2022}}

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Hon. Tuʻilakepa || 2 May 2008 || 2010 ||

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Lord Tupou (interim) || 3 December 2010 || 21 December 2010 || {{Cite web|url=http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2317_10.htm|title = IPU PARLINE database: TONGA (Fale Alea), ELECTIONS IN 2010}}

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Hon. Lasike || 21 December 2010 || 18 July 2012 ||

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Lord Fakafanua|| 19 July 2012 || 29 December 2014 || 1st term

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Lord Tuʻivakanō || January 2015 || December 2017 || 2nd term

|- style="background:#EEEEEE;"

|Lord Fakafanua || December 2017 || || 2nd term{{Cite web | url=https://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/12/19/tongan-parliament-elects-pohiva-as-pm-for-next-four-years/ | title=Tongan Parliament elects Pōhiva as PM for next four years | Asia Pacific Report| date=19 December 2017}}

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Until 2010, the government was appointed by the monarch without reference to Parliament, and there were no political parties. The last term under the old system was the 2008 Tongan Legislative Assembly. Political reform in 2010 saw the Prime Minister elected by Parliament from among its members, leading to responsible government.

Clerk (Kalake Pule Fale Alea ʻo Tonga)

• Sione Tekiteki (2011–2012)
• Gloria Poleʻo (2012–present)

• Politics of Tonga
• List of legislatures by country

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|http://parliament.gov.to/}}

{{Legislatures of Oceania}}

{{National unicameral legislatures}}

{{Authority control}}

Tonga

Category:Politics of Tonga

Category:Political organisations based in Tonga

Category:Government of Tonga

Tonga

Category:1862 establishments in Tonga