Tonga’s King to Take Over Ministry in Democratic Retreat 

Tonga this month passed a bill removing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from democratic supervision and placing it under the supervision of King Tupou VI, a move critics said was democratic backsliding by the island nation, Radio New Zealand reported. 

Crown Prince Tupouto‘a ‘Ulukalala, who was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister in January, introduced the bill, which replaces the ministry with a new body called His Majesty’s Diplomatic Services. 

A parliamentary statement said the bill “aims to modernize and strengthen the framework” for the conduct of diplomatic relations, “while also enhancing oversight of immigration in alignment with national interests.” 

The bill is awaiting the king’s signature. 

Pro-democracy activists opposed the bill, saying it had reversed democratic reforms passed in 2010, which reduced the monarchy’s powers and strengthened the authority of elected representatives, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.  

The government claims the change is merely technical, with Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu‘i emphasizing that the foreign affairs ministry has only been renamed and not dissolved.  

Hundreds of Tongans, both on the island and in the diaspora, have expressed their support for the bill on social media, saying that it is the King’s “birthright” to oversee the country’s foreign affairs.