India-educated leader Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua has been elected as the 20th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, securing a clear majority in a secret ballot of Members of Parliament and unseating caretaker Prime Minister Dr ‘Aisake Eke.
Lord Fakafanua completed a Master of Arts in Diplomacy, Law and Business at O.P. Jindal Global University in India, studying at the Jindal School of International Affairs, an academic experience that has shaped his diplomatic and policy outlook.
A member of Tonga’s royal family through his mother, a granddaughter of Queen Salote Tupou III, Lord Fakafanua also has noble lineage through his father. His sister is married to the Crown Prince. Outside politics, he is the president of Tonga Rugby League.
The vote was held in Parliament on Monday, three weeks after Tongans went to the polls on November 20. Lord Fakafanua won 16 votes to Dr Eke’s 10 in the 26-member Legislative Assembly.
At 40, Lord Fakafanua becomes one of the youngest prime ministers in Tonga’s history and only the second noble to hold the office since the country’s 2010 constitutional reforms. Those reforms significantly altered the balance of power in Parliament, strengthening the role of the 17 people’s representatives elected by the general public, alongside nine nobles’ representatives chosen through a separate process.
Before voting began, Lord Fakafanua told fellow MPs that his bid for the prime ministership was driven by a desire to unite the House. He said both nobles’ and people’s representatives ultimately answer to the citizens they serve and must work collectively for Tonga’s future.
In his acceptance speech, he thanked MPs for their support and again called for unity, urging all representatives to work together in the national interest. Dr Eke also addressed Parliament, thanking his supporters, congratulating Lord Fakafanua and pledging his cooperation as the country moves forward.
Dr Eke, the Tongatapu 5 representative, exits the prime minister’s office less than a year after taking over from Hu‘akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, who resigned last December ahead of a no-confidence vote. In Monday’s ballot, Dr Eke lost the backing of several senior cabinet figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Taniela Fusimalohi and Paula Piukala, both of whom supported Lord Fakafanua.
Lord Fakafanua is a nobles’ representative for Ha‘apai and entered Parliament at the age of 24. At 27, he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, becoming the youngest person ever to hold the position in Tonga. He later returned to Parliament and again served as Speaker following subsequent elections.
Under Tonga’s constitutional process, Dr Eke will remain caretaker prime minister until King Tupou VI formally appoints Lord Fakafanua. The incoming prime minister must then nominate a cabinet for royal approval.
Following the leadership vote, Parliament elected Lord Vaea as Speaker and Lord Tu‘ihagaana as Deputy Speaker, positions that are reserved for nobles.
As the new Parliament prepares to begin its four-year term, attention is also turning to falling voter participation. Turnout at the November election was 49.4 per cent, prompting renewed discussion about improving the electoral roll and exploring overseas voting options to include Tongans living abroad.
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