Political and Constitutional Reform Opens the Door: The Kingdom of Tonga's Path to Democracy

Abstract

Legislative Assembly elections held on 25 November 2010 under an amended Constitution and related laws brought to the Kingdom of Tonga for the first time in its history a government chosen by the electorates instead of by the Monarch. Questions have been asked as to the readiness of voters and candidates to take on the responsibility. Within government, the Monarch remains very influential despite the steps taken by the late King Tupou V to cede most, but not all, of the Monarch's executive powers to the Cabinet of Ministers. Issues may arise concerning the Monarch's appointment of advisers and his relationship with certain sectors of the governmental system. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the Kingdom of Tonga's new political and constitutional regime, while offering insights into the thinking and decisionmaking that went into its development.

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