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RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Samoa parliament formally dissolved after months of uncertainty
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa on the floor of parliament, 21 January, 2025 Photo: Parliament of Samoa Samoa's parliament has been formally dissolved, and an early election is set to take place within three months. After months of political instability and two motions of no confidence, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said she would call for the dissolution of parliament if Cabinet did not support her government's budget. MPs from both the opposition Human Rights Protection Party and Fiame's former FAST party joined forces to defeat the budget with the final vote coming in 34 against, 16 in support and 2 abstentions. Fiame went to the Head of State and advised him to dissolve parliament, and her advice was accepted. This all came from a period of political turmoil that kicked off shortly after New Year's. A split in the FAST Party in January saw Fiame remove FAST Party chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt and several FAST ministers from her Cabinet. In turn, he ejected her from FAST, leaving her leading a minority government. Earlier this year, over a two-week period, Fiame and her minority government defeated two back-to-back leadership challenges. On 25 February, with La'auli's help, she defeated a no-confidence vote moved by Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, 34 votes to 15. Then on 6 March, this time with Tuilaepa's help, she defeated a challenge mounted by La'auli, 32 votes to 19. Parliament now enters caretaker mode, until the election and the formation of a new government. Samoa's Electoral Commissioner said his office has filed an affidavit to the Supreme Court , seeking legal direction and extra time to complete the electoral roll ahead of an early election. A hearing on this is set to be held on Wednesday.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
'We expect to get the majority', says Tuila'epa
Samoa's former long time prime minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi believes his party has a good chance of regaining power after the implosion of the ruling FAST Party. Tuila'epa reign of more than two decades came to an end in 2021 when a court ruled Fiame Naomi Mata'afa was the rightful prime minister after a months-long constitutional crisis. However, infighting and dispute within Fiame's government will now culminate in the dissolution of parliament and early elections. It came about this week when FAST MPs refused to pass the budget put forward by Fiame. Parliament will be dissolved next week and fresh elections are due to be held sometime in the next three months. "We expect to get the majority," said former Prime Minister and leader of the opposition HRPP. Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi told ABC Pacific. "All we have are problems after problems confronting the country," he added.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Samoa dissolves parliament after leader unable to pass budget
SYDNEY, May 28 (Reuters) - Samoa's parliament will dissolve on June 3 and the Pacific Island nation will hold an election at an unspecified date, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said on Wednesday. Fiame was unable to gain enough support to pass budget legislation in parliament on Monday and said in a statement that she had advised Samoa's head of state, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, that parliament should be dissolved. A dissolution notice was signed and gazetted on Wednesday. Fiame was elected in 2021, one of the Pacific's few female leaders, and faced a months-long court battle when the incumbent who had held power for two decades disputed the result. Unlike her predecessor, Fiame was sceptical of Chinese investment, and raised the international profile of the nation of 200,000 people by hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last year. Fiame was expelled from her political party, FAST, in January in a factional dispute.
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
PM Fiame advises dissolution of parliament, calls for snap elections
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in parliament on Tuesday. Photo: Samoa Government Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has advised Samoa's head of state that it is necessary to dissolve parliament so the country can move to an election. This follows the bill for the budget not getting enough support for a first reading on Tuesday, and Fiame announcing she would therefore seek an early election . Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II has accepted Fiame's advice and a formal notice will be duly gazetted to confirm the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. Parliament will go into caretaker mode, and the Cabinet will have the general direction and control of the existing government until the first session of the Legislative Assembly following dissolution. Fiame, who has led a minority government since being ousted from her former FAST party in January, finally conceded defeat on the floor of parliament on Tuesday morning after her government's 2025 Budget was voted down. MPs from both the opposition Human Rights Protection Party and Fiame's former FAST party joined forces to defeat the budget with the final vote coming in 34 against, 16 in support and two abstentions. Tuesday was the Samoa parliament's first sitting since back-to-back no-confidence motions were moved - unsuccessfully - against prime minister Fiame. In January Fiame removed her FAST Party chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt and several FAST ministers from her Cabinet. In turn, La'auli ejected her from the FAST Party, leaving her leading a minority government. Her former party had been pushing for an early election, including via legal action . The election is set to be held within three months.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Failed budget vote ends Fiame Naomi Mata'afa's government and triggers early Samoan election
One of the Pacific's only female leaders has lost her grip on power, triggering an early election in Samoa, after failing to pass the national budget in the country's parliament. Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa conceded defeat on the floor of parliament on Tuesday morning after her government's budget was voted down 34-16. Known as the Pacific's "Iron lady", Fiame will now seek a dissolution of parliament and will lead Samoa as its caretaker leader until Samoans go to the polls for an early election. Her announcement follows months of political instability and infighting between the prime minister and members of her former party, the FAST Party, which expelled her earlier in the year. The expulsion came after Fiame forced the resignation of her former colleague and chairman of the FAST Party, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, after he was charged with serious criminal offences. Mr Schmidt then isolated Fiame, meaning she was effectively leading the country in minority government. After a series of unsuccessful no-confidence motions — where Fiame's martial status was also questioned — today Mr Schmidt and Samoa's official opposition party, led by former long-term prime minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, succeeded in bringing about an early election. Deputy head of the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University, George Carter, said no matter the outcome of the upcoming election, Fiame would leave behind an impressive legacy. "She is a leader who has used all political and traditional capital to bring people together to fight for anti-corruption and built confidence in her public service." Fiame won a groundbreaking election in 2021, ending four decades of rule by the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), led by Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, becoming the first woman head of government in Samoa. If she were to lose the election, it would make Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine the only remaining female leader in the Pacific region. However, Dr Carter said Fiame's political career was far from over. "Many will watch to see if a new party under Fiame will come forth, so there's still a lot of action and intrigue to come," he said.
