A key leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), he served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019.

[8] His political career was marked by constant battles with the Tongan monarchy over democracy, transparency and corruption.

[10] In 2002 he was charged with sedition over an article published in his newspaper Keleʻa alleging the king had a secret fortune,[11] but was acquitted by a jury.

In September 2010, he established the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands along with other Human Rights and Democracy Movement People's Representatives, in order to contest the 2010 elections.

[27] In February 2017 Pōhiva survived a no-confidence motion, with his noble opponents only able to muster 10 votes in favour, against 14 in support of the government.

[29][30] On 25 August 2017 King Tupou VI sacked Pōhiva and dissolved the Assembly and called fresh elections in the hope of getting a more tractable prime minister.

[31][32] The resulting 2017 Tongan general election was a landslide for the DPFI,[33] and Pōhiva was re-elected to the premiership, defeating his former deputy Siaosi Sovaleni 14 votes to 12.