Two proposed new Tongan laws allowing voters to elect the Prime Minister and the Nobles have been submitted to Parliament by the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI)
The bill for the Prime Minister to be elected by the people was signed by MP ‘Aisake Eke and the bill for the voters to elect the nobles' represetatives was signed by MP Mo’ale Finau.
It also proposed to remove clauses in the constitution that allow the Prime Minister to appoint a minister from outside representatives that elected by voters.
The proposal means the constitution must be amended so that voters could elect all members of Parliament.
It says people will be allowed to vote for the nine nobles to Parliament but the nobles would not be allowed to vote for the people’s representatives nor they would be allowed to run for the people’s candidacy.
Nobles could only be allowed to vote for the nobles’ nine members to Parliament at the same time people could not be allowed to run for noble’s candidacy, the bill says.
The election of the Prime Minister will take place in two weeks after the election of 9 noble’s representative and 17 people’s representatives.
During these two weeks all elected members of Parliament will nominate candidates for the premiership. Another election would then be publicly announced for the people to vote for the Prime Minister.
Democratic system of government has first been introduced to Tonga three years ago with people's hope that a representative from their elected candidates would be for the first time become the Prime Minister of the country. That was not happen and after the 2010’s parliamentary election people started to realise that the power has only been switched from the king to his nobles and not them, the commoners.
The opposition party said these bills will bring real democracy to Tonga and for the people’s representatives to hold majority of the seats in Parliament.
