Samoa Prepares For Snap Election In August As The Pacific Watches

Samoa is facing a period of significant political upheaval following the collapse of Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa’s government, triggering a snap general election scheduled for August 29, 2025.

The dramatic turn of events was set in motion late last month when the government’s annual budget was defeated in parliament. The failure to pass the crucial fiscal document led the Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Sualauvi Vaaletoa II, to dissolve parliament on June 3rd, plunging the nation into election mode a half-year ahead of schedule.

The political landscape has been completely reshaped in the wake of the government’s collapse. Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, who made history in 2021 as Samoa’s first female leader, will not contest the upcoming election under the banner of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party that brought her to power. Instead, she and her cabinet will run as candidates for the newly established Samoa Uniting Party. This move follows a major rift within the FAST party, culminating in Fiamē’s removal of former party chairman and agriculture minister, La’auli Leuatea Polataivao, from cabinet earlier this year over criminal charges.

Prime Minister Fiamē’s path to power was itself a testament to her tenacity, providing crucial context for the current crisis. Her victory in the 2021 general election was not immediately recognised by the incumbent Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which had ruled for nearly 40 years.

The result was an unprecedented months-long constitutional crisis where the outgoing government locked the doors to parliament to prevent her from being sworn in. In a historic act of defiance, Fiamē and her FAST party held their own swearing-in ceremony in a tent on the lawns of parliament, a move eventually validated by Samoa’s highest courts. Her struggle stood in stark contrast to the political landscape in neighbouring Melanesian nations like Papua New Guinea, which has one of the world’s lowest rates of female political representation, with only a handful of women in its 118-seat parliament.

This crisis represents a pivotal and complex moment for the role of women in Pacific politics. While the collapse of a government led by the nation’s first female leader could be perceived as a setback, Fiamē’s refusal to be sidelined and her creation of a new party demonstrates profound political resilience.

Her battle is now framed not by her gender, but by her governance and political strategy, helping to normalise women in high-stakes political combat. The upcoming election has thus become a critical test: a victory would serve as a powerful inspiration for aspiring female leaders in a region with low female representation, while a loss could be exploited by critics and have a chilling effect on future progress.

This has resulted in a fractured political field, setting the stage for a tense three-way electoral battle. The key players are:

• The Samoa Uniting Party, led by caretaker Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa.
• The FAST party, now effectively in opposition and led by its chairman, La’auli Leuatea Polataivao.
• The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), the long-standing opposition party led by former Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, which played a key role in voting down the budget.

Adding to the dynamic political environment, other parties are also entering the fray. The Samoa Labour Party, focusing on economic reform and workers’ rights, has recently launched its campaign. Several other new parties have also reportedly registered.

The FAST party is challenging the legitimacy of the caretaker government, arguing it is operating illegally. Meanwhile, the Office of the Electoral Commissioner (OEC) is moving forward with the election timetable, with voter registration for overseas Samoans set to close in early July. The OEC is also investigating reports of interference with voter registration.

The upcoming election is seen as critical, with ramifications beyond Samoa’s borders. It comes at a time of heightened geopolitical interest in the Pacific, with regional powers closely watching the outcome. Key domestic issues expected to dominate the campaign include economic management, infrastructure development, and the ongoing debate over constitutional reforms.