The Commonwealth Secretariat will send an observer group to observe the general elections in Tonga scheduled for November 16, 2017, following a formal invitation from the country’s government.
The Commonwealth Secretariat will send an observer group to observe the general elections in Tonga scheduled for November 16, 2017, following a formal invitation from the country’s government.
The Commonwealth observer group will be in Tonga from November 9 to 20, 2017 to oversee the full electoral process, including results distribution.
Commonwealth observer groups act as an impartial and independent party to ensure transparent electoral processes, in line with the standards of the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation.
A final report on the electoral process will be submitted by the group to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will distribute the findings to the Tongan government, the Tongan Electoral Commission, Speaker of Parliament, relevant civil society organisations and finally will be made public to governments and citizens of the Commonwealth.
King Tupou VI invoked Clause 38 of the Constitution to dissolve Tonga’s Legislative Assembly in August, 2017 and called for new elections to be held in November, more than a year before the next elections were due to take place.
Former Speaker of Parliament and Attorney-General of New Zealand Margaret Wilson will lead the Commonwealth observer group, which will consider the pre-electoral environment, the poll, the count, and declaration of results.
Other group members include Supervisor of Elections in Fiji, Mohammed Saneem, Electoral Commissioner in Nauru, Joseph Cain, and Human Rights Lawyer from Swaziland, Lomcebo Dlamini, who will all be supported by a Commonwealth Secretariat staff team led by Albert Mariner.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “These elections are crucial for the people of Tonga as it strengthens the democratic process in the Kingdom.
“The Commonwealth observers will observe the elections and work closely with the observers from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in supporting Tonga’s democracy, national election and sharing best practice.”
