In a special session of the Tongan parliament on Christmas Eve, Aisake Eke was elected as the country's new prime minister. This comes after his predecessor resigned ahead of a no-confidence vote by lawmakers. Eke, a former finance minister, won the secret ballot by 16 votes to 8, defeating Trade Minister Viliame Latu.
Tonga, a South Pacific island nation with a population of 105,000 people, is facing challenges such as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change threats, and a recent volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022 that caused significant damage across the country's 171 islands.
