The people win in Tonga

Last month Tongans went to the polls to elect a new Parliament. The Democratic Party did not do well, and I was expecting that once again the nobles (who have nine representatives in Parliament for 33 corrupt inbreds, versus 17 for the other 105,000 Tongans) would be able to buy a few independents and rely on their collaborators to retain their grip on power. I was, fortunately, wrong: yesterday 'Akilisi Pohiva was elected as Tonga's first elected commoner Prime Minister:

A veteran democracy campaigner who one of Tonga's kings once wanted hanged has today been elected the South Pacific kingdom's new prime minister.

Seventy-three-year-old 'Akilisi Pohiva defeated rival Samiu Vaipulu 15 votes to 11 to become the kingdom's first ever democratically elected commoner premier.

Hopefully this will see more democratic reforms, and ultimately the elimination of the noble seats. Their continued existence is a violation of "one person, one vote", and an affront to democracy. if Tonga's nobles want political power, they should run for election like anybody else.