Tonga elects ’Aisake Valu Eke’ as new Prime Minister

The Pacific island nation of Tonga has elected veteran politician Aisake Valu Eke as its new Prime Minister on 24 December 2024. Aisake Valu Eke will succeed the former Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni who resigned two weeks ago after a no-confidence motion was moved against him in the Parliament.

Aisake Valu Eke will be formally sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the country in February 2025 and is expected to lead the country into the next general elections scheduled for November 2025.

Parliament elects Aisake Valu Eke as Prime Minister 

Tonga is a constitutional monarchy where the executive power is vested in a popularly elected government. The Parliament of Tonga is a unicameral house known as the Legislative Assembly of  Tonga or Fale Alea O Tonga.

The parliament consists of 26 members of which 17 are elected by the people for a three-year term. The rest 9 members are hereditary nobles erected by their peers.

The Prime Minister needs to have a majority in the Parliament.

Aisake Valu Eke secured 16 votes and his closest rival Viliami Latu secured eight votes.

Thus Aisake Valu Eke was elected as the new Prime Minister of Tonga.

Aisake Valu Eke was first elected to parliament in 2010 and served as finance minister between 2014 and 2017.

Democracy in Tonga 

Tonga is a monarchy where the King or Queen held absolute power for over 100 years.

After the 2006 violent pro-democracy protest movement in the country, the power of the Monarch was diluted and power was transferred to a popularly elected government responsible to the Parliament.

The Monarch is still the Head of the State and appoints the Prime Minister but his role is mainly ceremonial

About Tonga 

Tonga is an archipelago of about 170 islands in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean. Tonga falls in the active volcanic rims and many of its islands are volcanic in origin. Coral reefs are also found in Tonga.

The country consists of around  106,000 people spread across its islands.

The country is highly indebted to China. The country owes around $130 million to the Chinese banks which is around one-third of its gross domestic product (GDP). The loan was taken by the Tonga government to rebuild its cities after the 2006 riots. 

Capital: Nukuʿalofa

Currency: Paanga

Head of State : King Tupou VI