Samoa to go to early election after Fiame concedes leadership

Samoa faces an early election as PM Fiame Naomi Mata’afa concedes after budget loss. Photo / Mark Mitchell

By Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai of RNZ

Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has announced she will seek a dissolution of Parliament and an early election.

Fiame, who has led a minority Government since being ousted from her former Fast party in January, finally conceded defeat on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday morning after her Government’s 2025 Budget was voted down.

MPs from both the Opposition Human Rights Protection Party and Fiame’s former Fast party joined forces to defeat the Budget with the final vote coming in 34 against, 16 in support and two abstentions.

The decision comes amid a period of political turmoil that kicked off shortly after the New Year.

A split in the Fast Party in January saw Fiame remove Fast Party chairman La’auli Leuatea Schmidt and several Fast ministers from her Cabinet.

In turn, he ejected her from Fast, leaving her isolated and leading a minority Government.

Earlier this year, over a two-week period, Fiame and her minority Government defeated two back-to-back leadership challenges.

On February 25, with La’auli’s help, she defeated a no-confidence vote moved by Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, 34 votes to 15.

Then on March 6, this time with Tuilaepa’s help, she defeated a challenge mounted by La’auli, 32 votes to 19.

The Prime Minister says her focus was to complete her term. Photo / Government of Samoa

While in Aotearoa last week, Fiame said the Pacific was facing a tough time with geopolitics.

She told Pacific Waves that her focus was to complete her term.

“We had two motions of no confidence. I have always said that Parliament would determine whether we remain in Government as a minority Government, and it would appear that that is still the status quo.”

She said at the time that the Budget this next week was going to be another usual parliamentary issue that determines confidence.

“My reading is no one really wants to go to an early election,” she said.

“There are a few technical issues that would make it difficult. The main one being that we are doing a complete re-registration of the voters, and I think we are not yet at 60%.”