FAST to retain power after Samoan election victory confirmed

While incumbent held connected to power, the Polynesian land federation volition person a caller PM: Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt.

The incumbent Fa’atuatua one le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) enactment has been confirmed arsenic the victor of the nationalist predetermination successful Samoa.

Official results released by the Samoan electoral committee connected Friday showed that FAST won 30 retired of the 50 seats contested. However, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa departed the enactment earlier this twelvemonth and volition beryllium succeeded by caller FAST person Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt.

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The main absorption Human Rights Protection Party won 14 seats. Independent candidates took different four.

The Samoa Uniting Party, formed earlier this twelvemonth by Fiame – known arsenic the “Iron Lady of the Pacific” – won lone 3 seats, including her own. She was expelled from FAST successful January amid a factional dispute.

Rising prices had been cited arsenic a cardinal contented for voters successful the state of astir 220,000 people.

Before the predetermination connected August 29, successful Apia, the Samoan capital, residents had told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation they were looking guardant to governmental stableness and wanted the adjacent authorities to absorption connected the system and jobs.

On Friday, Samoa’s caput of state, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, had issued a warrant confirming the names of the caller lawmakers who volition signifier Samoa’s adjacent parliament.

Five women person won seats. The Samoa Observer reported that nether a 10 percent minimum practice rule, astatine slightest six women indispensable beryllium successful parliament, necessitating the instauration of an further seat.

Fiame became Samoa’s archetypal pistillate person successful 2021, winning an predetermination that unseated Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi aft 22 years.

She raised the planetary illustration of the federation by hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting past year, focused connected the effect of clime alteration successful the Pacific.

But aft being incapable to summation capable enactment to walk a budget, Fiame asked successful June for parliament to beryllium dissolved. She has been serving successful the relation of acting premier curate since.