Campaigning over – Samoa gets ready to vote in ‘unpredictable’ election

Samoans will vote for their next government on Friday. Photo / RNZ Pacific

By Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai of RNZ

Samoan voters will head to the polls in a national election on Friday described as one of the country’s “most unpredictable”, with no clear favourite.

Election campaigning has wrapped up, and the countdown is on. Pre-polling begins tomorrow.

Fifty parliamentary seats will be contested, with the Fast (Fa’atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi) Party aiming to repeat its dramatic 2021 victory over the long-standing HRPP (Human Rights Protection Party), despite an internal split that ultimately triggered an early election.

Samoa’s election chief has confirmed that 187 candidates will contest this year’s general election, representing six political parties and 46 independents vying for seats.

The governing Fast Party leads the field with 58 candidates and following close behind is the HRPP with 50.

The caretaker Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa’s Samoa United Party has 26 candidates, while the Samoa Labour Party has five.

Two smaller parties – the Tumua ma Pule Republican Reform Party and Constitutional Democratic Republic Party – will each contest one seat.

This brings the total number of parties contesting this election to six, alongside 46 independent candidates.

The election was originally scheduled for April next year but was brought forward after a split in the ruling Fast party led to months of political instability, which ended with Fiame’s minority Government being unable to pass its 2025 Budget.

It is business as usual on the streets of the capital Apia, with people going about their daily routines.

The official campaign period ended on Saturday, so there are no more billboards or pickets, but the energy and anticipation before voting is still palpable.

Voters interviewed by RNZ Pacific expressed a mix of hopes for the political parties of their choice.

Some want to maintain the status quo, others are seeking change, and some say it’s up to God.

– RNZ