Prime Minister of Tonga

Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Tonga
Coat of arms of
the Kingdom of Tonga
Incumbent
Siaosi Sovaleni

since 27 December 2021
AppointerKing of Tonga
Inaugural holderTēvita ʻUnga (Premier)
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Prime Minister)
Formation1876 (Premier)
1970 (Prime Minister)

The prime minister of Tonga (historically referred to as the premier) is the country's head of government. Tonga is a monarchy with the king, currently Tupou VI, as head of state.[1]

The office is currently held by Siaosi Sovaleni since December 2021.

List of premiers/prime ministers of Tonga

No. Portrait Name
(Lifespan)
Term of office Party Monarch
(Reign)
Start End
1 Crown Prince
Tēvita ʻUnga
(1824 – 1879)
1 January 1876 18 December 1879 Independent George Tupou I
r. 1845–1893
2 George Tupou I 18 December 1879 April 1881 Independent
3 Rev.
Shirley Waldemar Baker
(1836 – 1903)
April 1881 July 1890 Independent
4 Siaosi Tukuʻaho
(1854 – 1897)
July 1890 1893 Independent
5 George Tupou II 1893 1893 Independent
6 Siosateki Tonga
(1853 – 1913)
1893 January 1905 Independent George Tupou II
r. 1893–1918
7 Siaosi Tuʻipelehake
(1842 – 1912)
January 1905 January 1905 Independent
8 Sione Tupou Mateialona
(1852 – 1925)
January 1905 30 September 1912 Independent
9 Sālote Tupou III 30 September 1912 30 September 1912 Independent
10 Tevita Tuʻivakano
(1869 – 1923)
30 September 1912 30 June 1923 Independent
Sālote Tupou III
r. 1918–1965
11 Prince
Viliami Tungī Mailefihi CBE
(1887 – 1941)
30 June 1923 20 July 1941 Independent
12 Solomone Ula Ata OBE
(1883 – 1950)
20 July 1941 12 December 1949 Independent
13 Crown Prince
Tupoutoʻa Tungī KBE
(1918 – 2006)
[a]
12 December 1949 16 December 1965 Independent
14 Prince
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake CBE
(1922 – 1999)
16 December 1965 22 August 1991 Independent Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
r. 1965–2006
15 Baron
Siaosi Vaea
(1921 – 2009)
22 August 1991 3 January 2000 Independent
16 Prince
ʻUlukālala Lavaka Ata
(born 1959)
[b]
3 January 2000 11 February 2006 Independent
17 Feleti Sevele
(born 1944)
30 March 2006 22 December 2010 Human Rights and Democracy Movement
George Tupou V
r. 2006–2012
18 Lord Tuʻivakanō
(born 1952)
22 December 2010 30 December 2014 Independent
Tupou VI
r. 2012–present
19 ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(1941 – 2019)
30 December 2014 12 September 2019 Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands
20 Semisi Sika
(born 1968)
acting
12 September 2019 8 October 2019 Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands
21 Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
(1951 – 2023)
8 October 2019 27 December 2021 Tonga People's Party
22 Siaosi Sovaleni
(born 1970)
27 December 2021 9 December 2024 Independent
23 Samiu Vaipulu
(born 1953)
acting
9 December 2024 22 January 2025 Independent
24 ʻAisake Eke
(born ?)
22 January 2025 Incumbent Independent

Notes

  1. Later King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.
  2. Later King Tupou VI.

References

  1. "The Executive government " Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Tonga government