Editing Tupou VI (section)

== Prime Minister of Tonga ==
ʻAhoʻeitu, then known as Prince ʻUlukālala Lavaka Ata, assumed the role of [[Prime Minister of Tonga|prime minister]] on 3 January 2000.<ref name=":5" />

In 2004, several Members of Parliament (MPs) advocated for his resignation as prime minister following their decision to boycott the inauguration of the [[Legislative Assembly of Tonga|Tonga Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2004 |title=MPs call for resignation of Tongan Prime Minister |url=https://matangitonga.to/2004/05/27/mps-call-resignation-tongan-prime-minister |access-date=26 January 2024 |website=Matangi Tonga |language=en}}</ref> Among the MPs was [[Feleti Sevele]], who cited the closure of [[Royal Tongan Airlines]] as one of several adverse events associated with the prime minister's tenure. Sevele questioned the prime minister's ability to govern Tonga, asserting that an inability to manage an airline raised doubts about his capacity to govern the country effectively.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 May 2004 |title=Call on Tongan prime minister to step down |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/148863/call-on-tongan-prime-minister-to-step-down |access-date=1 June 2024 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>

ʻAhoʻeitu resigned as prime minister on 11 February 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2006 |title=Tonga's Prime Minister resigns |url=https://matangitonga.to/2006/02/15/tongas-prime-minister-resigns |access-date=1 June 2024 |website=Matangi Tonga |language=en}}</ref> His departure coincided with a period of heightened civil unrest, as pro-democracy protests advocating for a reduced governmental role of the royal family gained traction from mid-2005 onward.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=13 February 2006 |title=Tonga gets first elected leader |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4708474.stm |access-date=20 November 2023 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The [[2006 Nukuʻalofa riots|Nukuʻalofa riots]] later that year underscored a growing dissatisfaction with the existing political structure, calls for increased political representation and a more equal distribution of power.<ref name=":6" />