At stake in this election:      

• 17 seats in Tonga’s Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012) *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Samiuela ʻAkilisi PŌHIVA (since 2014)**
• Assembly: Tonga has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea) with 26 seats.

* King George TUPOV V died on 18 March 2012 in Hong Kong. He was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince TUPOUTO’A Lavaka, who took the throne name TUPOU VI.

** Parliament was dissolved in August 2017, including Prime Minister PŌHIVA, who was re-elected following this election. 

Description of electoral system:

• The King is hereditary
• The Prime Minister is elected by and from members of parliament and appointed by the monarch.
• Tonga has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea), in which 9 members are elected by hereditary state rulers to serve 4-year terms and 17 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-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: Independents
  • Leader: N/A
• Party: People's Democratic Party (PDP)
  • Leader: N/A
• Party: Sustainable Nation-Building Party / Paati Langafonua Tu'uloa
  • Leader: Sione FONUA
• Party: Tonga Democratic Labour Party
  • Leader: N/A

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 106,440 (July 2014 est)
• Registered Voters: 42,395 (November 2010)

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 53,041 (July 2014 est)
• Is Tonga a signatory to CEDAW: N/A
• Has Tonga ratified CEDAW: N/A
• Gender Quota: No.
• Female Candidates in this election: 11
• Number of Female Legislators: 1 (3.6%) of 26 seats in Tonga’s unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea).
• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 100
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Ranking: Not Ranked (latest rankings are from 2012)[viii]