9 Nov 2009

Tonga reforms call for curb of King's power

3:47 pm on 9 November 2009

The Final Report of Tonga's Constitutional and Electoral Commission has recommended that the country's monarchy be stripped of its powers to select and be part of the executive government.

The recommendations come in a just-completed report on a proposed new system of government to be introduced for Tonga next year which has been presented to the King and parliament and also made publicly available.

The report has recommended that the King and Privy Council shall no longer be part of the Executive which shall only 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.

On the make-up of parliament, the Commission has recommended that the number of people's representatives be increased from 9 to 17 with nine nobles representatives.

The report has also advised that voting in future elections shall be by a single transferable vote system."