2017 Tongan general election

General elections were held in Tonga on 16 November 2017^[1] to elect 17 of the 26 seats to the Legislative Assembly.^[2] King Tupou VI dissolved the Assembly on 25 August 2017 on the advice of its Speaker, Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō, who claimed that Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva was attempting to claim powers held by the King and Privy Council within Cabinet.^[3]

2017 Tongan general election

← 2014 16 November 2017 2021 →
17 of 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly
First party   Leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Party DPFI Leader's seat Tongatapu 1 Seats before 9 Seats won 14 Seat change 5 Popular vote 17,610 Percentage 44.53%
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election ʻAkilisi Pōhiva DPFI Elected Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva DPFI

Nominations closed on 27 September, with 86 candidates contesting the 17 people's seats.^[4] The election resulted in a victory for the DPFI, with ʻAkilisi Pōhiva remaining as Prime Minister.^[5]

Electoral system

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga has up to 30 members, of which 17 are directly elected by first-past-the-post voting from single-member constituencies. The island of Tongatapu has ten constituencies, Vavaʻu three, Haʻapai two and ʻEua and Niuatoputapu/Niuafoʻou one each.^[6] Nine seats are held by members of the nobility who elect representatives amongst themselves.^[7] The Cabinet formed by a Prime Minister may include up to four members not elected to the Assembly, who then automatically become members of the legislature.^[7]

Results

The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands won 14 seats, enough to allow them to form a government without needing the support of nobles or independents.^[8]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	17,610	44.53	14	+5
	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	3,261	8.25	0	New
	Independents	18,674	47.22	3	–5
Nobles' representatives				9	0
Total		39,545	100.00	26	0
Valid votes		39,545	99.83
Invalid/blank votes		68	0.17
Total votes		39,613	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		59,003	67.14
Source: Tonga Elections,[9] IFES,[10] Matangi Tonga[11] Asia Pacific Report[8]

By constituency

Tongatapu 1

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	ʻAkilisi Pōhiva	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,379	50.57
	Netatua Pelesikoti	Independent	352	12.91
	Sione Tukia	Independent	279	10.23
	Ofo-Mei-Vaha Tupou Niumeitolu	Independent	196	7.19
	Mosese Teukiveiuto Manuofetoa	Independent	128	4.69
	Siotame Drew Havea	Independent	109	4.00
	Siale ʻAtaongo Puloka	Independent	80	2.93
	ʻAna Kanume Bing Fonua	Independent	79	2.90
	Sione Keuate Tupouniua	Independent	62	2.27
	Barry Smith Taukolo	Independent	49	1.80
	ʻEliesa Fifita	Independent	14	0.51
Total			2,727	100.00
Valid votes			2,727	99.74
Invalid/blank votes			7	0.26
Total votes			2,734	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 2

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Semisi Sika	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,111	52.09
	Sione Tuʻitavake Fonua	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	465	21.80
	Soane Patita Vakautafefine Fifita	Independent	277	12.99
	ʻEma Rererangi Fonua Stephenson	Independent	260	12.19
	Fisiʻipeau Faiva	Independent	20	0.94
Total			2,133	100.00
Valid votes			2,133	99.86
Invalid/blank votes			3	0.14
Total votes			2,136	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 3

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Siaosi Sovaleni	Independent	1,421	44.34
	Tevita Palu	Independent	932	29.08
	Katalina Tohi	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	607	18.94
	Mele Teusivi ʻAmanaki	Independent	159	4.96
	Sitiveni Halapua	Independent	83	2.59
	Tonga Soane	Independent	3	0.09
Total			3,205	100.00
Valid votes			3,205	99.84
Invalid/blank votes			5	0.16
Total votes			3,210	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 4

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Mateni Tapueluelu	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,469	60.80
	Seketi Foʻou Fuko	Independent	388	16.06
	ʻIsileli Pulu	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	216	8.94
	Tevita Mateitalo Makameimoana Motulalo	Independent	138	5.71
	Poli Tuaileva	Independent	136	5.63
	Litia Simpson	Independent	69	2.86
Total			2,416	100.00
Valid votes			2,416	99.75
Invalid/blank votes			6	0.25
Total votes			2,422	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 5

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Losaline Maʻasi	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,034	35.40
	ʻAisake Eke	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	953	32.63
	ʻAna Hauʻalofaʻia Koloto	Independent	527	18.04
	Feʻofaʻaki Taufonua Latu	Independent	311	10.65
	Viliami Kini Mangisi	Independent	96	3.29
Total			2,921	100.00
Valid votes			2,921	99.80
Invalid/blank votes			6	0.20
Total votes			2,927	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 6

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Poasi Tei	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,425	48.77
	Soane Taiofonongahina ʻAhio	Independent	672	23.00
	Siosifa Tuʻitupou Tuʻutafaiva	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	425	14.54
	Sione Tatafu Angakehe Tafuna	Independent	325	11.12
	Fisiʻitotoa ʻAhohiva Kaufusi	Independent	75	2.57
Total			2,922	100.00
Valid votes			2,922	99.83
Invalid/blank votes			5	0.17
Total votes			2,927	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 7

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Sione Vuna Faʻotusia	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,273	48.74
	Sione Sangster Saulala	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	726	27.79
	Mavaetangi Manavahetau	Independent	217	8.31
	Sione Hufanga	Independent	191	7.31
	ʻOlikoni Tanaki	Independent	133	5.09
	Talanoa Fuka Kitekeiʻaho	Independent	63	2.41
	Tevita Silatolu	Independent	9	0.34
Total			2,612	100.00
Valid votes			2,612	99.85
Invalid/blank votes			4	0.15
Total votes			2,616	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 8

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Semisi Fakahau	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,182	46.90
	Viliami Sisifa	Independent	596	23.65
	Penisimani Teisina	Independent	484	19.21
	Mosaʻati Vaipulu	Independent	187	7.42
	Viliami Kilisimasi Taufa	Independent	71	2.82
Total			2,520	100.00
Valid votes			2,520	99.76
Invalid/blank votes			6	0.24
Total votes			2,526	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 9

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Penisimani Fifita	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,302	49.75
	Siamelie Latu	Independent	537	20.52
	Vika Vaka Fusimalohi	Independent	488	18.65
	Timote Tuʻiono Oliveti Laume	Independent	290	11.08
Total			2,617	100.00
Valid votes			2,617	99.96
Invalid/blank votes			1	0.04
Total votes			2,618	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Tongatapu 10

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,631	58.17
	Soane Kautai	Independent	593	21.15
	Loupua Kuli	Independent	406	14.48
	Daniel Kimball Fale	Independent	174	6.21
Total			2,804	100.00
Valid votes			2,804	99.86
Invalid/blank votes			4	0.14
Total votes			2,808	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

ʻEua 11

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Tevita Lavemaau	Independent	789	37.46
	Taniela Fusimalohi	Independent	519	24.64
	Sunia Fili	Langafonua 'a e Masiva	476	22.60
	Sunia Kauvaka Havea	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	310	14.72
	Hale Telepo	Independent	6	0.28
	Silivia Loumaile Mahe	Independent	6	0.28
Total			2,106	100.00
Valid votes			2,106	99.91
Invalid/blank votes			2	0.09
Total votes			2,108	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Haʻapai 12

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Moʻale Finau	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	635	39.84
	Viliami Hingano	Independent	588	36.89
	Finau Pulotu Uata	Independent	371	23.27
Total			1,594	100.00
Valid votes			1,594	99.75
Invalid/blank votes			4	0.25
Total votes			1,598	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Haʻapai 13

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Veivosa Taka	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	905	56.88
	ʻEsafe Hema Latu	Independent	589	37.02
	ʻElikisoni Langi	Independent	97	6.10
Total			1,591	100.00
Valid votes			1,591	99.81
Invalid/blank votes			3	0.19
Total votes			1,594	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Vavaʻu 14

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Saia Piukala	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	1,366	61.28
	Latu Niua Lepolo	Independent	495	22.21
	Matini Fatanitavake Maʻafu-ʻo-Veikune T. Veikune	Independent	368	16.51
Total			2,229	100.00
Valid votes			2,229	99.91
Invalid/blank votes			2	0.09
Total votes			2,231	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Vavaʻu 15

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Samiu Vaipulu	Independent	684	32.33
	Tomifa Faingaʻa Paea	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	608	28.73
	Kulufeinga ʻAnisi Bloomfield	Independent	494	23.35
	Keuli Pasina Lavaki	Independent	184	8.70
	Sinali Feʻiloaki Hansen	Independent	83	3.92
	Tongovua Fifita	Independent	63	2.98
Total			2,116	100.00
Valid votes			2,116	99.76
Invalid/blank votes			5	0.24
Total votes			2,121	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Vavaʻu 16

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	ʻAkosita Lavulavu	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	935	42.99
	Viliami Latu	Independent	748	34.39
	ʻAtalasa Misilemoti Pouvalu	Independent	296	13.61
	Viliami Lolohea	Independent	174	8.00
	ʻAisea Silivenusi	Independent	22	1.01
Total			2,175	100.00
Valid votes			2,175	99.77
Invalid/blank votes			5	0.23
Total votes			2,180	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Ongo Niua 17

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Vatau Hui	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands	438	51.11
	Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata	Independent	419	48.89
Total			857	100.00
Valid votes			857	100.00
Invalid/blank votes			0	0.00
Total votes			857	100.00
Source: Tonga Elections

Nobles

Constituency	Elected candidate	Votes
‘Eua	Lord Nuku	10
Ha‘apai	Lord Tuʻihaʻangana	5
	Fatafehi Fakafanua	3
Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou	Mataʻiʻulua ʻi Fonuamotu	3
Tongatapu	Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō	12
	Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi	11
	Lord Vaha‘i	7
Vava‘u	Malakai Fakatoufifita	6
	Tonga Tuʻiʻafitu	5
Source: Radio New Zealand