A senior minister in Tonga's Democratic Party government expects political opponents to try and bring down the administration by way of a no confidence motion in the coming term.
Tongan MP, Pohiva Tu'ionetoa Photo: RNZI / Koro Vaka'uta
This week the party leader 'Akilisi Pohiva was re-elected as Prime Minister in a parliamentary vote, 14 to 12.
The result came off a comprehensive November election victory, where Mr Pohiva's Democratic Party won 14 of the 17 people's seats.
There have been calls for parliament to operate in a more collegial manner after August's shock dissolution of the House.
But Pohiva Tu'ionetoa, who held a number of portfolios in the last Cabinet, said MPs outside of the party could have taken the opportunity to work alongside the government by not standing against their prime ministerial candidate, or by voting for him.
Mr Tu'ionetoa said instead they tried to get 'Akilisi Pohiva out of the prime minister's post.
"I thought that they would find some sense and see what the will of the people [is] and also come to us so that we can work together but when we won the election of the Prime Minster, I think they still don't want to come and work as a coalition government and I think for the future, there will still be differences," he said.
Mr Tu'ionetoa said he believed a no-confidence motion after 18 months is almost inevitable given the Noble representatives' desperation to unseat the government.
The Tongan government buildings, St George Palace Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koro Vaka'uta
Government to act quick
Pohiva Tu'ionetoa said the government would work faster to implement policy and make tangible changes in the upcoming term.
He said it would be important for the party to stick together and communicate well between themselves while also expressing a clear strategy for the public.
The last government had its term cut short by the King's dissolution over concerns the executive was acting unconstitutionally and trying to gather power for itself.
But Mr Tu'ionetoa said there would be only slight changes this time around.
"Overall, I think the strategy is right. Maybe we work a bit slow on certain things but we will try and work a bit quicker this time."
Tonga's new Cabinet is expected to be named before Christmas.