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Asia and Oceania
Samoa |
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Last reviewed: 10 July 2009 |
Country information
Politics
Samoa is a Constitutional Monarchy with a UK-style cabinet government modified to take account of Samoan customs. The constitution provides for a Head of State, a Prime Minister and a Cabinet of Ministers, who comprise the Executive Council, and a Legislative Assembly. The current Head of State is Tupua Tamasese, a former Prime Minister of Samoa. The previous Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II, held office for life, but the current and future Heads of State are elected by Parliament for a five-year term. The Parliament (or Fono) has 49 members. 47 members are elected by all Samoans aged 21 or over, to represent 41 constituencies, while the remaining two are elected from electoral rolls made up of Samoans who are not affiliated to a village.
Universal suffrage was introduced in 1991. However, by convention, only tribal chiefs (Matai) may stand for election. There are two main political parties, the governing Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) and the opposition Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP), plus a small number of Independent MPs. The HRPP has dominated politics over the past two decades and currently hold 36 of the 49 seats. The next general election will be held in 2011.
Recent political developments
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi became Prime Minister in 1998 following the retirement of his predecessor, Tofilau Eti Alesana, who retired due to illness. Tuilaepa has been the driving force behind many of the radical liberal economic reforms that have occurred over the past decade.
Human rights
Samoa's record on human rights is good, although there have been some concerns about the restrictions on who may stand for election. Samoa has so far ratified two of the six core Human Rights Treaties. Samoa formally abolished the death penalty in January 2004.
