The Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HRDM) is a political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 in Tonga

Tonga

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...

. Its leader is Uliti Uata.

The HRDM was founded in the late 1970s as an informal group of Tongans interested in democratic reform. It was formalised in 1992 as the Pro-Democracy Movement, and contested several elections under that name. In October 1998, it changed its name to the Human Rights and Democracy Movement.

In November 1992 the then-Pro-Democracy Movement held a constitutional convention

Constitutional convention (political meeting)

A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...

 which discussed the structure and history of the Constitution of Tonga

Constitution of Tonga

The Tongan Constitution was enacted by King George Tupou I on 4 November 1875. It stipulates the makeup of the Tongan Government and the balance between its executive, legislature, and judiciary. The anniversary of its passage is celebrated annually as Tonga's Constitution Day.Tonga is a...

 and compared it to arrangements overseas. A followup convention was held in 1999, but this was less successful.

At the 1999 elections

Tongan general election, 1999

General elections were held in Tonga on 10 and 11 March 1999 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. Voter turnout was 50.7%. Pro-reform candidates won a majority of seats, despite receiving fewer votes.-Results:...

, candidates aligned with the HRDM gained five seats in the Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Legislative Assembly of Tonga

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga has 30 members, 9 members elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies via the single non-transferable vote system, 9 members elected for a three year term by the 33 hereditary nobles of Tonga, 10 members of the Privy Council and 2 governors. The...

. The results were a disappointment for the HRDM, which had expected to win at least seven seats.

At the 2002 elections

Tongan general election, 2002

Parliamentary elections were held in Tonga on March 7, 2002 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. Supporters of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement won seven of the nine seats for people's representatives...

, supporters of the HRDM won seven of the nine seats reserved for commoners. At the 2005 elections

Tongan general election, 2005

A General election was held in Tonga on 17 March 2005. Only nine members of the 30-seat parliament are elected, the rest appointed by the King or are members of the Tongan aristocracy. The Human Rights and Democracy Movement won seven of the nine seats...

 they also won seven seats, and following the election HRDM-aligned People's Representatives Feleti Sevele

Feleti Sevele

Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele , styled Lord Sevele of Vailahi was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.-Early life:Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa...

 and Sione Haukinima were appointed to Cabinet

Tongan Cabinet

The Cabinet of Tonga is the cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is composed primarily of the ministers of government. The latter, including the Prime Minister, are appointed by the monarch. The Governor of Ha'apai and the Governor of Vava'u also serve on the Cabinet ex officio...

. Sevele later became the first commoner to serve as Prime Minister of Tonga

Prime Minister of Tonga

This is a list of Prime Ministers of Tonga from the establishment of that office in 1876 until the present day.-List of Premiers/Prime Ministers of Tonga :-External links:*...

.

At the 2008 elections

Tongan general election, 2008

Parliamentary elections were held in Tonga on April 23 and 24, 2008 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly. The nobles were elected on 23 April, and the nine people's representatives on 24 April. A total of 32,000 people turned out to vote, giving a turnout of 48%.71 candidates had filed for...

, the HRDM won only 4 seats.

In the leadup to the 2010 elections

Tongan general election, 2010

Early general elections under a new electoral law were held in Tonga on 25 November 2010. They determined the composition of the 2010 Tongan Legislative Assembly....

 several members of the HRDM, including longstanding MP 'Akilisi Pohiva

Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva

Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva is a Tongan politician and a leading member of that country's pro-democracy movement. He is a former teacher, broadcaster, and newspaper publisher, and a founding member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.-Personal...

 founded the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands is a political party in Tonga. The party's leader is 'Akilisi Pohiva....

as an explicit electoral vehicle.