Democratic Party wins Tongan by-election

Last Updated: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:50:00 +1000

Tonga's opposition Democratic Party has won a by-election on the main island of Tongatapu.

The election was necessary because the previous MP, Kaveinga Fa'anunu, also a member of the Democratic Party, had died.

Opposition leader Akilisi Pohiva claims the result shows the people of Tonga back his party's call for more political reform.

The new MP, Falisi Tupou, won the Tongatapu Number Nine seat with 745 votes, coming first in a field of six candidates.

Election authorities report a voter turnout of 72 per cent for today's by-election, somewhat lower than that of last year's general election which saw more than 90 per cent of the electorate cast their votes.

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