New Zealand Herald Editorial: “..Democracy long overdue for Tonga..”
“..Almost 20 years ago, the democratic urge first stirred in Tonga.
Deep-seated affection for the king, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, was not enough to dissuade the organisers of a first convention on democracy.
The occasion struck a popular chord in the semi-feudal nation, but power, prestige and position are rarely surrendered easily.
Predictably, frustrations boiled over.
Violence sparked by a pro-democracy rally led to the destruction of much of downtown Nuku’alofa.
Now, three years later, it appears Tonga is finally about to achieve democracy.
The country’s Constitutional and Electoral Commission has recommended stripping King George Tupou V of many of his powers ..
.. including the automatic right to appoint the prime minister and ministers.
Executive power would be held by the Cabinet and Parliament.
The Tongan people would elect 17 parliamentary representatives .. who would sit alongside nine nobles’ representatives.
At present, just nine of the seats in the 33-seat Parliament are selected by popular vote.
The institution is stacked with nobles and other supporters of the monarchy.
The King has, in effect, already given his blessing for this development.
At the time of his coronation, and in the wake of the Nuku’alofa riots, he volunteered to surrender his powers..”
go to source/story>>Editorial: Democracy long overdue for Tonga - Opinion - NZ Herald News