2021 Samoan constitutional crisis

2021 Samoan constitutional crisis

Date	22 May 2021 (2021-05-22) — 23 July 2021 (2021-07-23) (2 months and 1 day)
Cause	Refusal by incumbent Prime Minister of Samoa Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi to accept the victory of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa in the 2021 Samoan general election[1]
Participants	• Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa • O le Ao o le Malo Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II • Supreme Court of Samoa
Outcome	Ending Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi premiership after 22 years Appointment of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa as prime minister Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi replaces Human Rights Protection Party as the majority government

Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi of HRPP

Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa of FAST

A constitutional crisis began in Samoa on 22 May 2021 when O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II stopped the meeting of the Legislative Assembly from meeting in the aftermath of the general election in April 2021.^[2][3][4][5]

Court rulings had supported the election results, giving a parliamentary majority to the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party, led by Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. On 24 May 2021, a ceremony was held outside of Parliament to swear in Mata'afa as prime minister. On 23 July the Court of Appeal declared that the ceremony legit.^[6][7]

References

1. Russel Palmer (27 May 2021). "Samoa election crisis: What you need to know". RNZ. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
2. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (22 May 2021). "Head of State suspends Parliament". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021. Samoa has been thrown into a constitutional crisis
3. Sina Retzlaff (22 May 2021). "Head of State Issues Writ to Suspend Official Opening of XVIIth Parliament". Samoa Global News. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
4. "Samoa dives into further uncertainty as Head of State suspends Monday's opening of Parliament". Talamua. 22 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
5. Jamie Tahana (22 May 2021). "Sitting of Samoa parliament cancelled; constitutional turmoil deepens". RNZ. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021. with the country now well engulfed in a constitutional crisis
6. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 July 2021). "Court declares F.A.S.T. Government; impasse over". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
7. Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson and Kate Lyons (23 July 2021). "Samoa's political crisis ends and first female prime minister installed after court ruling". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2021.