29 Nov 2010

Unsuccessful Tonga party eyes next election

2:15 pm on 29 November 2010

A party which put up five candidates in last week's elections in Tonga but failed to win a seat is already preparing for the next election.

The Paati Langufonua Tu'uloa's spokesperson, Sione Fonua, says the success of the Friendly Islands Democratic Party, which won 13 of the 17 seats, is because of a profile built up over 30 years.

He says his much more recently formed party is now looking to recruit more members and more qualified candidates for 2014.

Mr Fonua says they aim to position themselves as the main opposition party to the left leaning Democrats.

"We are more to the middle or to the right a little bit. Our policies - economic development, local government, the civil service and also education - we are quite clear on that. We don't know what the Friendly Islands Party is offering in that respect. They have not spelt it out."