Tonga wants king stripped of power

Reuters

TONGA'S RULER: King George Tupou V may be stripped of some of his powers if recommendations are agreed.

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The black cab can stay, but Tonga's eccentric king will have to shed many of his royal rights under a new plan to bring the ancient kingdom into the 21st Century.

Tonga's Constitutional and Electoral Commission has recommended the all-powerful monarchy be stripped of its authority to select and be part of the executive government.

The king would no longer have the automatic right to appoint the country's prime minister or ministers at his pleasure.

And the number of people's representatives in parliament would be boosted to double the number of nobles' representatives.

The changes are drastic for the Pacific nation which has, under its 134-year-old constitution, always given considerable status and power to the royal family.

In addition to controlling parliament, they own three-quarters of the land and run strategic monopolies that dominate the business landscape.

The arrangement has long been criticised for fuelling Tonga's stagnant GDP, declining living standards, low wages and heavy reliance on remittances sent from family living in New Zealand and Australia.

But there is likely to be little royal resistance to the overhaul.

Tonga's previous monarch, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV - famously the most hefty royal in the world - declared before his death in 2006 that Tonga was ready for a change.

His son and successor, King George Tupou V, appears keener still to shed his key governing role.

Oxford-educated, business-orientated and the most westernised in the unbroken chain of monarchs, King George indicated early in his ascendancy that he was pro-change.

He'd probably welcome a move out of the limelight. His eccentricities, like his posh British accent and love of remote-controlled boats, toy soldiers and elaborate military garb, not to mention the London taxi he travels in, have raised many eyebrows internationally.

King George has said on many occasions that he wants to do all he can to help get Tonga back on track.

The country's pro-democracy movement has unsurprisingly given the recommendation a big thumbs up.

The People's Democratic Party in Tonga, one of the few political parties formed so far, has described the ruling as "marvellous".

"Tonga can now go ahead and develop a political party system like those seen in New Zealand and Australia," said party president Teisina Fuko.

The reforms are scheduled to be introduced in time for elections next year.