Tonga MPs call on king to keep promises over political involvement

25/04/2008 17:09:07

Tonga's pro-democracy MP's are calling on the Island Kingdom's monarch to stand by his promise to step back from his influence over all aspects of the political system.

Our Pacific correspondent, Campbell Cooney, reports from the capital Nuku'alofa, that pro democracy MP's won six of the nine peoples representatives seats in the Kingdom of Tonga's parliament.

It's a good result for the movement's leader, MP Akilisi Pohiva.

"I'm very pleased with the outcome of the election," he said

The win comes despite all its MP's facing sedition charges over the November 2006 riots, which destroyed central Nuku'alofa.

It's the last election before the constitution is changed, to allow a larger, restructured parliament, with most government ministers to be selected from elected MPs.

Currently the King appoints all government ministers.

But the pro democracy movement is worried His Majesty won't stand by his commitment, and it's calling on him to sign off on them, during his coronation in August.

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