Tonga's prime minister has resigned ahead of an expected vote of no-confidence in parliament.
Siaosi Sovaleni Hu'akavameiliku made the announcement on Monday morning before a motion for the vote was tabled.
Mr Sovaleni broke down in tears as he addressed his fellow MPs.
Later, he told the ABC he had considered "what option is best for Tonga" in making the decision.
"I look forward to supporting whoever may be the next prime minister to actually continue the works we already put in motion," he said.
The 54-year-old assumed power in 2021 and had recently led Tonga as it hosted the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in the capital Nuku'alofa.
MPs will return to parliament to select a new prime minister on December 24.
Among the seven reasons for the motion of no-confidence were concerns over the amount of government spending at the recent PIF meeting, the performance of domestic airline Lulutai, and concerns over a legal case involving the country's reserve bank.
Resignation a 'surprise'
Parliament was expected to debate the motion on Monday morning after it was lodged last month by local MP Aisake Eke.
Tongan opposition MP Mateni Tapueluelu told the ABC Mr Sovaleni had shown "maturity" in resigning before the vote took place.
"It's a sad process to go through because Tonga is a small place. We know everyone," he said.
"But it's mandated by the constitution and unfortunately this is what we feel about the current administration.
"We have nothing personal against the prime minister … we do everything on professional grounds."
Pacific politics expert Malakai Koloamatangi said Mr Sovaleni appeared to have resigned after growing unsure of his level of support ahead of the vote.
He said Mr Sovaleni's move came as a surprise.
"There's no indication that that was going to be the case before the airing of the motion."
Year of uncertainty
The motion follows months of political uncertainty in Tonga that observers say began when its king, Tupou VI, withdrew his confidence in the foreign minister, and in Mr Sovaleni as defence minister, in February.
That led to a stand-off between the king and prime minister in which Mr Sovaleni faced pressure from nobles sitting in parliament to follow the monarch's wishes and resign his defence ministry.
It wasn't until Mr Sovaleni made a traditional apology to the king in March that the growing tensions between the monarchy and government appeared to be relieved.
However the government faced renewed uncertainty when the king also withdrew his confidence last month in the minister of lands, a position held by one of the nobles sitting in parliament, Lord Tu'i'afitu.
And in a blow to Mr Sovaleni's cabinet, the minister for internal affairs, Lord Vaea, who is the king's brother-in-law, resigned his position last week.
The Tongan public has raised questions over the role of the king in the motion of no confidence.
The motion on Monday was set to be the second faced by Mr Sovaleni, who easily defeated a previous attempt to unseat him as prime minister in September 2023.
Mr Sovaleni has resigned with less than a year until the country's next election, due in November 2025.
Frustrations ahead of vote
In the lead-up to the vote, members of the public expressed their frustrations with the motion, calling it a waste of time and saying it would distract the government from completing its budget for next year.
Some have also questioned how much a new government will be able to accomplish before the next election.
Lopeti Senituli, a former advisor to late prime minister 'Akilisi Pohiva, told ABC's Pacific Beat last month it appeared the nobles supporting the motion were unhappy with the amount of time the prime minister and his ministers were spending outside Tonga.
[YouTube monarchy]Mr Senituli called for a return to the dialogue between king and the prime minister required under the constitution.
Mr Sovaleni's last audience with King Tupou VI was in 2022.
"We need to revive that constitutional requirement for discussions and of course there should also be public discussions not only involving the members of parliament but also the leaders of the churches as well as the community leaders."
