2021 Samoan general election

General elections will be held in Samoa on 9 April 2021.[1][2] Four parties were originally expected to contest the elections: the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) of incumbent Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, the Tautua Samoa Party (TSP), the Samoa First Party, and the Samoa National Democratic Party.[2] In May 2020 a fifth party, the Tumua ma Puleono, registered for the elections.[3] In July 2020 Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi confirmed that he would be competing in a record fifth election.[4]

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On 2 September 2020 the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party announced it would join forces with the Samoa National Democratic Party and Tumua ma Puleono parties to contest the 2021 election.[5] SNDP and Tumua ma Puleono candidates will run under the FAST banner, with only one candidate in each constituency.[6]

200 candidates were nominated for the election:[7] After electoral challenges were heard, the number dropped to 198: 113 for the HRPP, 50 for F.A.S.T., 14 for Tautua Samoa, 5 for Samoa First, 1 for Sovereign Independent Samoa, and 15 Independents.[8] A record 21 women stood for office.[9]

Electoral system

The 2021 elections will see 51 members of the Fono elected from single-member constituencies.[10] Universal suffrage was introduced in 1990, permitting Samoan citizens over the age of 21 to vote in person. Candidates were required to be at least 21 years of age, heads of their families and resident of the country for at least three years prior the nomination date. Civil servants and people with mental illness were ineligible to stand as candidates. People convicted for bribery or an electoral offense, and people given a prison sentence of more than two years (including the death sentence), were also ineligible.[11]

The Constitution Amendment Act 2013 ensures a minimum of 10 per cent of seats in parliament were reserved for women.[10][12]

References
  1. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (28 April 2020). "2021 General Election date confirmed". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  2. "Samoan 2021 election date announced". RNZ. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  3. "A fifth political party registers for 2021 Samoan elections". RNZ. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  4. "Samoa's PM to run in 2021 general election". RNZ. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  5. Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson (2 September 2020). "Samoa's ruling party faces new threat – after nearly 40 years in power". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  6. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (2 September 2020). "Parties join forces ahead of General Election". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  7. Soli Wilson (23 October 2020). "The 200 to contest 2021 general election". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  8. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (30 November 2020). "General Election candidates number drops". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  9. Tina Mata'afa-Tufele (14 January 2021). "Record women in election field". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  10. "Samoa to bring about changes to parliament". RNZ. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  11. "Samoa (Fono) Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  12. "Constitution Amendment Act 2013" (PDF). International Labour Organization. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
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