Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni addresses the UNGA in New York on 27 September 2024. Photo: UN Photo
Tonga's Office of the Lord Speaker has received notification of a plan to move a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni.
A statement issued by the chief clerk of the Legislative Assembly on Monday confirmed the notice was submitted on Saturday, 23 November, by the member for Tongatapu 5, Dr Aisake 'Eke.
It had supporting signatures from nine other members of parliament.
There are 26 members in Tonga's Legislative Assembly: 17 publicly elected and nine elected by nobles.
The chief clerk said they are carrying out the necessary constitutional tasks pertaining to the motion, which requires five working days' notice before it can be moved.
He said they will provide more information on parliamentary proceedings in due course.
If tabled, this will be the second motion of no confidence brought against prime minister Huakavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni by Dr Aisake 'Eke.
In September last year, Huakavameiliku defeated Dr 'Eke's motion by 14 votes to 11.
Hu'akavameiliku has been at the COP 29 Leaders' Summit of the Small Island Developing States on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Legislative Assembly will resumes sitting today after being deferred from the 15 October sitting.
The parliamentary session was expected to feature discussions on a public bill, as well as a review of unfinished business from the previous session, including government department's annual reports, parliamentary visits reports, committee reports and public bills.
Meanwhile, parliamentarians in Vanuatu are scrambling to scrape together funds to start campaigning for a snap-election which was triggered by the President Nikenike Vurobaravu dissolving parliament.
The dissolution came ahead of a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, and a separate motion calling for the removal of the President himself.