Prime Minister of Tonga Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga
Flag of Tonga
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Tonga
Incumbent Fatafehi Fakafānua since 18 December 2025
Style	The Honourable
Abbreviation	PM
Member of	Cabinet of Tonga Legislative Assembly of Tonga
Seat	Nukuʻalofa
Appointer	King of Tonga
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Tonga
Inaugural holder	Tēvita ʻUnga (Premier) Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Prime Minister)
Formation	1876 (Premier) 1970 (Prime Minister)
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga
Salary	T$94,500 / US$40,212 annually

The Prime Minister's office building in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga's capital city.

The Prime Minister of Tonga is like the main leader of the government in the Kingdom of Tonga. Tonga is a special country because it is a monarchy, which means it has a king as its head of state. The current king is Tupou VI. The Prime Minister works closely with the king to help run the country.

Right now, the Prime Minister is Fatafehi Fakafānua. He started his role on December 18, 2025. The people of Tonga, through their elected representatives in the Legislative Assembly, chose him after the 2025 general election.

The job of Prime Minister was created a long time ago, in 1875, by Tonga's Constitution. This important document says that the king chooses the Prime Minister and other ministers. The Prime Minister also has a helper called the Deputy Prime Minister.

Tonga's Journey Towards More Democracy
A Look at Past Leaders
Timeline of Leaders
Images for kids
See also

Tonga's Journey Towards More Democracy

For many years, the King of Tonga had a lot of power in how the government was run. But in the 2000s, Tonga started to become more democratic. This means that ordinary people began to have a bigger say in how their country was governed.

In 2006, King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV made a big change. He appointed Feleti Sevele as Prime Minister. What made this special was that Feleti Sevele was the first "commoner" to hold this important job in a very long time. Before him, most Prime Ministers were from noble families or even the royal family.

Later, in 2008, King George Tupou V announced even more changes. He decided that the king would no longer choose the Prime Minister all by himself. Instead, the Prime Minister would be a member of the Legislative Assembly chosen by the other elected members. This made Tonga's government more like other monarchies, such as the United Kingdom, where the monarch follows the advice of the elected government.

A Look at Past Leaders

The role of Prime Minister in Tonga has a rich history. The very first person to hold a similar position, then called "Premier," was Tēvita ʻUnga. He started in 1876. Over the years, many dedicated individuals have served Tonga in this important role, guiding the nation through different times.