Summary
The Tonga People's Party (Tongan: Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga, abbr. PAK)[1] is a Tongan political party founded in 2019 by the new parliamentary majority.
Tonga People's Party Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | TPPI (English) PAK (Tongan) |
| Leader | Vacant |
| Founder | Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa |
| Founded | 20 September 2019 |
| Split from | Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands |
| Headquarters | Nukuʻalofa |
| Ideology | Pro-Chinese Communist Party |
| Fale Alea | 1 / 26 |
| Website | |
| Facebook page | |
History edit
In the 2017 general election, the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI) was the only one represented in the Legislative Assembly, obtaining 14 of the 17 seats reserved for the popular vote. For this reason, ʻAkilisi Pōhiva remained in the post of Prime Minister, until his death in 2019. The remaining three seats were held by independent candidates.
As a result of the deaths of the Head of Government and in anticipation of the election of a new one by the Assembly, the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa left the government with three other DPFI deputies, and joined to the parliamentary opposition, announcing the creation of the Tonga People's Party, composed of representatives of the Tongan nobility and independent parliamentarians.[2][3]
On 27 September, Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa was elected as Prime Minister. Semisi Sika, the DPFI leader, who until then had held the post on an interim basis, effectively became the leader of the opposition. Tuʻiʻonetoa formed a government and a parliamentary majority made up of eight commoners and nine elected members of the nobility. These seventeen parliamentarians are the founding members of the TPPI.[4][5][6]
On 8 July 2021, during a reception at the Chinese embassy in Nukuʻalofa to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), party leader Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa stated that the TPPI "learn[ed] a lot from the CPC-oriented philosophy.[7]
Tuʻiʻonetoa died in March 2023.[8]
2021 election edit
In the leadup to the 2021 Tongan general election Infrastructure and Tourism Minister ʻAkosita Lavulavu and her husband ʻEtuate Lavulavu, who served as party deputy chair, were each convicted of 3 counts of obtaining money by false pretenses and sentenced to six years in prison by the Supreme Court.[9]
Tuʻiʻonetoa did not promote the party during the election campaign, and several cabinet ministers announced they would run as independents.[1] He was the only MP elected for the party,[10] but the party planned to name its members after the elections.[11] Tuʻiʻonetoa later complained of being "abandoned" by his former cabinet, who ultimately supported ʻAisake Eke.[12]
In April 2022, Tuʻiʻonetoa was stripped of his seat by the Tongan Supreme Court for bribing a woman's group $50,000. This left the party with no seats in parliament.[13][14] However, the conviction was later stayed pending appeal.[15]
Principles and propositions edit
Defining its fundamental principles as "love, respect, humility and gratitude", the party proposes to reserve certain sectors of activity of the private sector to Tongan citizens (as opposed to foreigners), return to free education, as well as double salaries of educators, and health personnel.[6] Party leader Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa coined the term "fish theory" to describe the party's ideology, which is based on the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party.[16]
In our manifesto we described governance in Tonga as a fish. The government and party are the fish’s head and body, the people are the fish tail. The tail controls the head and the body, [and] maintains the direction of the head. The fish theory unifies the whole body in driving forward our work. Practice has proven that [if] you put your people in your heart, your people will in turn hold you up.
— Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa[16]
Electoral performance edit
Legislative Assembly edit
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Rank | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | N/A | − | 1 / 26
|
New |  2nd
|
Opposition |
References edit
- ^ a b "Is the Prime Minister's party still functioning? PAK name missing from Cabinet Ministers' campaign literature". Kaniva Tonga. 18 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa as new PM". Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa as new PM. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Last day in Tonga for PM nominations". RNZ. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Tonga MPs choose Tu'i'onetoa as new prime minister", Radio New Zealand, 27 septembre 2019
- ^ "Tonga’s new Cabinet", Matangi Tonga, 10 octobre 2019
- ^ a b "Tonga People's Party Inc.", Parti populaire
- ^ "Tonga People's Party inspired by Communist Party of China, says PM". Matangitonga. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Former PM, Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa dies in US". Matangi Tonga. Nukuʻalofa. 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- ^ "Tongan MP and former MP sentenced to six years jail". RNZ. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Kalafi Moala (21 November 2021). "Election 2021 – the end of an era!". Talanoa O Tonga. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "Party MPs, independents and Nobles prepare to make deals and form alliances to elect PM". Kaniva Tonga. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "Unsuccessful premiership contender Tu'i'onetoa expresses bitterness at being abandoned; continues falsely attacking Democrats". Kaniva Tonga. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "Disgraced former PM Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa loses seat through electoral petition: reports". Kaniva Tonga. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ Philip Cass (1 May 2022). "If I had wanted to buy votes I would have made sure they got the money, former PM tells court, but judge says bribery occurred, voids election". Kaniva Tonga. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "Convicted Tongan MPs win stays ahead of appeals". RNZ. 26 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Chairman Tu'i'onetoa and Chairman Mao of China have something in common". TALANOA O TONGA. 11 August 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.