Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni Photo: UN Photo
Tongan Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni resigned on Monday ahead of a no-confidence motion, the Tongan parliament office has confirmed.
"At the opening of today's (Monday) session, a teary-eyed Prime Minister asked the Lord Speaker if he could say a few words, before the Motion was tabled. He was permitted to address the House," Matangi Tonga reports.
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"I'll be resigning immediately according to the Constitution," he was quoted as saying.
The prime minister defeated a previous vote of no confidence in September last year.
According to Matangi Tonga, the motion for the no-confidence vote had not been tabled, and there was no debate on it.
Parliament has been adjourned for lunch and will resume at 2pm local time.
Hu'akavameiliku will hold a news conference at lunchtime.
'Better to leave'
Speaking to RNZ Pacific after stepping down, he said "this is the best way forward for Tonga".
"It's better for me just to leave," he said.
He thanked his supporters and is hoping "someone" will rise up to lead the Kingdom for the next 10 months before the next general election.
He said there were a few highlights during his term as prime minister, including the setting up the Tonga National University, securing funding to get a second internet cable, and building a new hospital in Va'vau.
'Respect his decision'
AUT senior lecturer Sione Tekiteki told RNZ Pacific that Hu'akavameiliku "has been through a lot" and "we just have to respect his decision".
"I think we just need to be mindful that he has been through a lot, both physically [and] mentally, but also the stress of having a country to lead, as well as all the international and domestic priorities.
"I think in that context, you just have to respect the decision he's taken, and obviously wasn't easy."
He said Hu'akavameiliku would have "weighed up all of the the stresses", including the planned no confidence vote before deciding to step down.
"It's probably good that it's come from him and he's done it in his own terms."
