Human Rights Protection Party

The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP, Samoan: Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata) is a Samoan political party. It has dominated Samoan party politics since 1982.

Human Rights Protection Party

Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata
LeaderTuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi
FoundedMay 1979
IdeologyConservatism
Political positionCentre-right[1]
ReligionChristianity
ColoursBlue
Legislative Assembly
44 / 50
Website
Official website

Va'ai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana co-founded the party in May 1979 in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi.[2] It has governed the country since first winning power in 1982, except for a brief period in 1986 and 1987 when internal differences forced it into coalition.

The two founders of the early party, Kolone and Alesana, both became Prime Ministers of Samoa.

Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi has led the party since 1998.

In the legislative elections of 4 March 2001, the party won 45.1% of popular votes and 23 out of 49 seats. During the elections on 2 April 2006, it won 35 of the 49 seats.

In the 2011 election held on March 4, the party won 36 out of 49 seats, thus retaining the majority.[3] According to the U.S. State Department in their 2010 human rights report published on April 8, 2011, the Human Rights Protection Party remains the only officially recognized party in the Legislative Assembly of Samoa[4] (the Fono).

The Human Rights Protection Party retained power by winning the 2016 general election.

Principles and policies

In June 2017, the Samoan Parliament passed a bill to increase support for Christianity in the country's constitution, including a reference to the Trinity. Article 1 of the Samoan Constitution states that “Samoa is a Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”. According to The Diplomat, "What Samoa has done is shift references to Christianity into the body of the constitution, giving the text far more potential to be used in legal processes."[5] The preamble to the constitution already described the country as "an independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and traditions."[5]

Electoral history

Legislative Assembly elections
Election Party leaderVotes%Seats +/– PositionGovernment
1982 Va'ai Kolone 3,482 29.3%
24 / 47
 1 1st Majority government
1985 Tofilau Eti Alesana 4,698 34.5%
32 / 47
 8 1st Supermajority government
1988 5,017 35.9%
23 / 47
 9 1st Majority government
1991 34,262 44.8%
27 / 47
 4 1st Majority government
1996 29,353 43.5%
24 / 49
 3 1st Majority government
2001 Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi 34,262 44.8%
23 / 49
 1 1st Majority government
2006
35 / 49
 12 1st Supermajority government
2011 48,771 55.6%
29 / 49
 6 1st Majority government
2016 45,81657.3%
35 / 50
 6 1st Supermajority government

References
  1. Derbyshire, J. Denis; Derbyshire, Ian (1989). Political Systems Of The World. New Delhi: Allied Publishers. p. 123. ISBN 9788170233077.
  2. Asofou So'o (2005). "The establishment and operation of Samoa's political party system". In Roland Rich, Luke Hambly and Michael G. Morgan (ed.). Political Parties in the Pacific Islands. Canberra: Pandanus Books. p. 189.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2011-03-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. 2010 Human Rights Report: Samoa, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, April 8, 2011
  5. Wyeth, Grant (16 June 2017). "Samoa Officially Becomes a Christian State". The Diplomat. Retrieved 19 June 2017.


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