World Country Guide

History and Government

History
The ruling family of Tonga, the last remaining Polynesian kingdom, can be traced back more than 1000 years. The 170-island group was first visited by the Dutch in the early-17th century, and later by the British seafarer Captain Cook, who dubbed the archipelago the ‘friendly islands’ in 1773. The adoption of Christianity by the ruling family – which followed the arrival of Methodist missionaries in the 1820s – and an overall policy of accommodation with the British - then the principal imperial power in the area - meant that the islands were not formally colonised.
King Taufa’ahau Tupou I, the great-great-great grandfather of the present ruler and the first chief to rule over all of Tonga, was the founder of the present dynasty and took power in 1831. He also introduced representative government to the islands during his reign. A Treaty of Friendship was signed with the British in 1879 which afforded Tonga the unique status of a ‘Protected State’ (as distinct from a Protectorate, which allowed for less autonomy in government). However, the British subsequently decided that the kingdom was better off as a protectorate, which it became in 1900.

Between 1918 and 1965, Tonga was ruled by Queen Salote Tupou III. Upon her death, she was succeeded by King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, who has ruled ever since and presided over the greatest change in Tonga’s constitutional status.

In 1968, the islands assumed complete responsibility for internal affairs, before being granted full independence in 1970. King Taufu’ahau has pursued a uniformly pro-Western foreign policy, including (unusually for the region) expression of support for French nuclear testing in the Pacific. At home, there has been little by way of a threat to the dominant political position of the King. There are no organised political parties, and the Legislative Assembly, which meets once a year, does little more than ratify the edicts of the monarch. Critics of the regime continue to risk arrest and imprisonment.

The Human Rights and Democracy Movement, formed in 1992, began to apply consistent pressure on the King to democratise. So far, he has proved disinclined to do so at more than the most sedentary pace, but the performance of the Movement in the most recent election in March 2002 suggests that they have a significant political base. Prince Lavaka Ata Ulukalala took over the premiership in 1992, and was reappointed to the post in 2000. Changes are afoot, however: the King, who is in his 80s, is in poor health. Both traditionalists and reformers are preparing for the post-Taufu’ahau era, and, so far, the traditionalists have stolen a march: constitutional changes were put into effect in 2003 giving greater powers to the monarch and imposing strict limits on political opposition.

Government
Tonga is a constitutional monarchy. The monarch, who has ultimate executive power, is head of both state and government, and appoints a 10-member Council of Ministers. The single-chamber Fale Alea (Legislative Assembly) has 30 members: nine are elected for a three-year term by popular vote in multi-seat constituencies; nine are elected by a convention of the islands’ traditional chiefs; the remaining 12 are ex-officio appointees from the privy Council and the governors.