SUVA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tonga's King Tupou VI announced on Friday to dissolve the Southern Pacific island state's parliament, ordering a new election to be held in November this year.
According to Matangi, Tonga's leading news website, the king, who has the power to dissolve the government under the state's constitution, announced the decision through the Government Gazette. Acting Attorney General Aminiasi Kefu confirmed that they received the Gazette notice Friday afternoon from the Palace of Office.
The king gave no reason for the dissolvement of the parliament, but only said that such decision came following the advice from the state's speaker of the parliament Tu'ivakano.
Currently, the Tongan government is led by Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva, whose term was due to end next year.
Akilisi Pohiva, who became the state's prime minister in 2014, survived a no-confidence vote earlier this year.
Tonga is an island state with a population of more than 100,000.
