At stake in this election:

• 17 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King King George TUPOU V
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Feleti (Fred) SEVELE
• Assembly: Tonga has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea) with 26 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The King is hereditary.
• The Prime Minister is appointed by the monarch.
• In the Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea), 9 members are elected by hereditary state rulers to serve 3-year terms and 17 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 3-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands / Paati Temokalati 'a e 'Otu Motu 'Anga'ofa
  • Leader: Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA
• Party: People's Democratic Party (PDP)
• Independent(s): Independents
• Party: Tonga Democratic Labour Party
• Party: Sustainable Nation-Building Party / Paati Langafonua Tu'uloa
  • Leader: Sione FONUA

Election Notes:

• This is the first election under the country's new electoral system. Previously, only nine members were elected under multi-member districts. This will mark the first time that a majority of MPs are democratically elected.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 103,947 (2010)
• Registered Voters: 42,395 (November 2010 Approx.)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 51,892 (2010)

·         Is Tonga a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Tonga ratified CEDAW: No

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 1 (following the 2010 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 100 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Tonga a signatory to CRPD: Yes (15 November 2007)

·         Has Tonga ratified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: 15,592 (est.)