Latest news with #SamoaElection
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
July 4 deadline for voters to enrol for Samoa election
Photo: 123RF Samoans living abroad must complete their full voter registration by 4 July if they wish to vote in the country's upcoming general election. Samoa's Electoral Commissioner, Toleafoa Tuiafelolo John Stanley, said while online registration is still available for overseas voters, completing the process requires a physical return to Samoa to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and photographs. But he said the electoral office was "doing fine" to be ready. "Before the early dissolution of parliament, the voter registration was 48 percent. As we speak, just looking at that system right now, 2pm [10 June] the voter registration is now 60 percent. "The number of voters registered is 70,395." The electoral roll will close on 4 July. People have been turning up in droves to register. "You should see the booths right now - there's heaps of people coming in," Toleafoa said. "Last night, the booths closed at 11. That's when they completed everybody - 11pm. But we were supposed to close at eight. My staff had to work overtime just to make sure everybody was registered." Toleafoa also confirmed that a bill which would have enabled overseas voting was not passed before Parliament dissolved. This means the Electoral Act 2019 remains in force and votes have to be cast in Samoa. "That bill hasn't been discussed by Parliament - so parliament [has] been dissolved and the bill is still hanging there." On Wednesday, 11 June, the commissioner is to release the election timetable which includes the opening and closing dates of nominations and the period for any withdrawal of nominations. The election date itself is 29 August. The Electoral Office submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court seeking an extension for the elections, to allow more preparation time, but this request was denied . The country's political turbulence started in January and Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa faced two votes of no confidence, her first on 25 February and her second on 6 March. But last month she conceded defeat after her government's budget was voted down. Parliament was formally dissolved on 3 June.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Samoa to hold snap election on Aug. 29 after PM's government collapses
NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Samoa will head to the polls on Aug. 29, a half-year earlier than expected, after Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa's government collapsed following a budget defeat in parliament late last month. Fiamē, who became the South Pacific island nation's first female prime minister in 2021 and ended four decades of Human Rights Protection Party rule, now faces a three-way political battle that has ramifications far beyond Samoa. The snap election comes at a time of heightened geopolitical interest in the South Pacific, with Samoa viewed as a strategic player in the growing contest for regional influence between China and traditional partners like Australia and the United States. Climate change is also seen as an existential threat for the Samoan archipelago, which has a population of 200,000 people, and is among the world's most imperiled by rising seas. Fiamē's FAST government fractured earlier this year after she fired party chairman La'auli Leuatea Polataivao from the cabinet over criminal charges. The move triggered a party split. Though Fiamē survived two no-confidence votes, a combined effort by HRPP and FAST defectors to block her budget forced the early election. Fiamē now leads the newly formed Samoa Uniting Party, facing off against her former boss Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's HRPP and La'auli's rebranded FAST. The Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Sualauvi Vaaletoa II, formally announced the election date on Tuesday, after the country's Supreme Court rejected a bid to allow more time for preparations.
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
No extended time for Samoa election prep, court rules
The first day of the first sitting of Samoa's parliament for 2025 Photo: Parliament of Samoa Samoa's Supreme Court has ruled against extra time for the Electoral Commission to complete the electoral rolls ahead of an early election. It follows the formal dissolution of its parliament on 3 June in the wake of several months of political uncertainty. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa had 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. Samoa's Electoral Commissioner said his office has filed an affidavit to the Supreme Court, seeking legal direction and an extra six weeks to complete the electoral roll ahead of an early election. But the court has ruled there will be no extension. More to come.
RNZ News
03-06-2025
- 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.
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.
