After nearly four months of being taken to the brink of dictatorship, Samoa’s constitutional crisis ended on July 26 when the prime minister for the past 23 years, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, conceded defeat.
With the April 9 election loss, the 40-year dominance of Samoan politics by Tuilaepa’s Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) ended too.
Samoa’s new leader, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, might be the country’s first female prime minister, but she is a veteran politician. As she attempts to bring her nation out of its greatest test in the 59 years since independence, she will need all the deep experience she brings to the role.
Dr Kerryn Baker
A crack in the glass ceiling
The fallout from Samoa’s 2021 election has triggered a broader discussion about women in politics, writes Dr Kerryn Baker.
In April, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa caused the political equivalent of an earthquake for Samoa. The long-serving and immensely popular politician had taken on a political powerhouse in the country’s national election – and won. Her former party, the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), had been in power almost continuously for 40 years. Its leader, Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, had been prime minister since 1998.
By leading her fledgling opposition FAST party to victory, Fiame set another milestone. She was poised to become the country’s first woman prime minister.
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Samoan PM, Tuila epa Sa ilele Malielegaoi
Photo: Samoa Govt
Tuila epa claims the judiciary is over-reaching its powers, and
Talamua online reports him saying one arm of government should not be Hitler-like in asserting its authority over another.
He continues to maintain parliament cannot meet until election petitions and by-elections are held and it is ensured there are six women parliamentarians.
Should parliament not meet on Monday as directed, the Supreme Court is expected to revisit the Doctrine of Necessity, under which the majority FAST party had sworn in its MPs because they were illegally barred from entering parliament.
This could lead to that swearing-in being declared valid.
The publication reported Tuila epa saying that one arm of government should not like Hitler seek to assert its authority over another. He has instead insisted that Parliament can only be properly constituted after petitions, by-elections, and the invoking, if necessary, of a requirement that at least six women MPs be in Parliament. Tuila epa s caretaker government appears likely to face further legal challenges after announcing on Tuesday that they had the power to obtain funding for ministries budgets for the new fiscal year despite Parliament not sitting. Contempt of court Meanwhile, the caretaker prime minister is due to face a contempt of court suit tomorrow.