Tongan democrats dominate election

Sacked police minister Clive Edwards failed to win one of the commoners' seats. Herald file picture

Tonga's democracy movement has overwhelmingly won elections for the Pacific nation's parliament that will give it representation in the Tongan king's cabinet for the first time.

The Tongan Human Rights and Democracy Movement won eight of the nine seats allocated to the people's vote, one more than the previous election, in results announced early today.

The ninth spot was held by an independent, and pro-government candidates were unsuccessful.

Clive Edwards, a former police minister blamed by Tonga's Crown Prince for the country's controversial anti-media laws, also missed out on winning one of the commoners' seats.

The improved performance by the democracy movement came despite a split in its ranks during the campaign.

Tonga is tightly controlled by its monarchy.

However, the government has promised to appoint two of the so-called commoner MPs to the cabinet, bringing democracy advocates into the government for the first time.

Under the South Pacific's only monarchy, more than two-thirds of the parliament are appointed by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV or chosen by a small number of nobles.

The government is expected to announce the commoner cabinet appointees next week as well as by-elections to fill the resulting vacancies.

- AAP