Editing Tupou VI (section)

=== Loss of confidence in ministers ===
On 2 February 2024, Prime Minister [[Siaosi Sovaleni]] was absent from Tonga, receiving medical treatment in New Zealand. During this time, King Tupou VI purportedly revoked the appointment of Siaosi Sovaleni as the armed forces minister and [[Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu]] as the minister of foreign affairs and tourism,<ref>{{cite web |date=6 February 2024 |title=Tonga's King Tupou VI loses confidence in PM Hu'akavameiliku |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/508471/tonga-s-king-tupou-vi-loses-confidence-in-pm-hu-akavameiliku |access-date=6 February 2024 |publisher=[[RNZ]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 February 2024 |title=King has no confidence in two ministers |url=https://matangitonga.to/2024/02/05/king-tupouVI-has-no-confidence-two-ministers |access-date=6 February 2024 |publisher=Matangi Tonga}}</ref> with the nine noble MPs{{Efn|There are 9 MPs elected by the 33 hereditary [[Tongan nobles|nobles of Tonga]].}} urging them to resign from their ministerial positions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 March 2024 |title=Nobles demand Tonga PM to respect King's decision - 'I love my King', Hu'akavameiliku says |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/510660/nobles-demand-tonga-pm-to-respect-king-s-decision-i-love-my-king-hu-akavameiliku-says |access-date=1 June 2024 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref> The [[Attorney General of Tonga]], [[Linda Folaumoetu'i]], advised the Cabinet that the King's action was unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 February 2024 |title=Cabinet refutes King's orders, claiming it goes against Constitution |url=https://matangitonga.to/2024/02/06/cabinet-refutes-kings-orders-as-unconstitutional |access-date=6 February 2024 |publisher=Matangi Tonga}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=6 February 2024 |title=Tonga Prime Minister has final call on ministers, not the King - former attorney-general |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/508513/tonga-prime-minister-has-final-call-on-ministers-not-the-king-former-attorney-general |access-date=6 February 2024 |publisher=[[RNZ]]}}</ref>

In response to the revocation of their appointments, Sovaleni and ʻUtoikamanu publicly announced their resignation from their respective ministerial positions in April 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tonga ministers quit amid standoff with powerful monarch |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/4/tonga-ministers-quit-amid-standoff-with-powerful-monarch |access-date=17 May 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>