CHANGE comes slowly in the kingdom of Tonga, a nation of 100,000 people in the midst of the Pacific Ocean. On December 29th its parliament for the first time used its new powers to select a non-aristocratic prime minister, a veteran democracy activist named ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Mr Pohiva has for decades been the arch-adversary of the Tongan establishment, first as a campaigner against official corruption during the 1990s and later as leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly islands. He was imprisoned in 1996 for contempt of parliament. Now as prime minister his ability to deal with practical matters of state will be put to the test: one many expected three years ago, when Mr Pohiva was put first forward as candidate for the position.

Such a move was a first in 2010. Uniquely in the modern Pacific Islands, Tonga was a functioning constitutional monarchy—until the king gave up critical powers in 2010. The country’s monarchs had previously appointed the prime minister and cabinet, and parliament was merely a talking shop where nobles and commoners could air their grievances. The 2010 constitution increased the number of elected commoners, or “people’s representatives”, to 17; left the number of nobles at nine; and gave the 26-member parliament the right to select the head of government. The king assumed a largely ceremonial role, but remains much revered by ordinary Tongans.

Still, things did not turn out as many expected in 2010. Then, the newly elected MPs could not agree on Mr Pohiva as their candidate for prime minister. Instead, the nobles—who are selected by 33 holders of hereditary titles—clubbed together with the more conservative elected politicians from the northern islands of Tonga to select Lord Siale'ataonga Tu'ivakano as prime minister.

This time around, greater solidarity amongst the members popularly elected on November 27th gave Mr Pohiva the top leadership post by 15 votes to 11, making him the first commoner selected by parliament to hold the position. He was unable to attract the support of any of the noble members, but—cautiously—brought one of their number, Lord Ma’afu, into cabinet with ministerial responsibility both for lands and for His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Mr Pohiva’s predecessor, Lord Tu’ivakano, led an unspectacular and ineffective government, which handled the nation’s finances poorly. Tonga risks defaulting on its considerable debt to China, having borrowed heavily to rebuild the capital’s central business district after it was destroyed by riots in 2006. Even if he cannot steady the nation’s finances, Mr Pohiva may be tempted to continue the process of political reform by abolishing noble seats or by requiring nobles to be selected by popular vote. He may need to move fast. He is 73 years old, and has said this will be his last three-year term in parliament.