Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Political party in Tonga welcomes Commission’s recommendations

Posted at 00:19 on 10 November, 2009 UTC

The Peoples Democratic Party in Tonga is describing as "marvellous" a recommendation to turn the country into a constitutional monarchy, run by an elected Parliament.

The advice comes from the Constitutional and Electoral Commission’s final report, on a proposed new system of government for Tonga.

Philippa Tolley has more

“The Commission has recommended that the country’s monarchy be stripped of its powers to select and be part of the executive government. It’s proposed the new system of government be introduced for Tonga next year. The report has recommended that the King and Privy Council no longer be part of the Executive which will be answerable to the Legislative Assembly. The King would no longer have the power to appoint the Prime Minister or Ministers at his pleasure and could only appoint the Prime Minister on advice of the Legislative Assembly and the Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. The report has also advised that voting in future elections would be by a single transferable vote system. The president of Tonga’s People’s Democratic Party, Teisina Fuko, says the recommendations would open the way for a political party system to develop such as those in New Zealand and Australia.”