Chamber:
	Fale Alea
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	4 February 1993
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members’ term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the previous (February 1990) general elections, the Prime Minister since 1965, Prince Fatafehi Tu’ipelehake, retired from office in August 1991and was succeeded by Baron Vaea, cousin of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. In November 1991, campaigners for democratic reform and a reduction in the power of Tonga’s nobility – who had won seats at the previous poll but were still in the minority in the Legislative Assembly – announced plans to form the country’s first official political party. This was achieved in August 1992, under the name of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), led by Mr. Akilisi Pohiva. A loose association of liberals and clergy, it advocated, inter alia, the adoption of a new Constitution which would restructure the parliamentary membership. On polling day, pro-democracy candidates – who comprised two-thirds of the 55 contenders – won six of the nine commoners’ seats. This outcome was expected to bring pressure for fundamental reform in the political sphere, a move which the Prime Minister had hinted at considering prior to the poll.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (4 February 1993): Elections results
Voters	45,000 (approx.)

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	29
Women:	1