Samoa s caretaker government has lost another electoral seat in the latest petition hearings this morning.
The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) has now lost a total of five seats and holds 20 compared to the election winning FAST party s 26.
Samoa votes being tallied after the April election.
Photo: AFP or licensors
Two cases were heard today, with another deferred until tomorrow.
Today s case against the Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party s Gagaemauga No 1 seat holder and Deputy Prime Minister-elect Tuala Tevaga Ponifasio was settled amicably, and withdrawn.
RNZ Pacific s correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, says the other was withdrawn but the seat will be contested again.
New candidates will not be allowed to contest Samoa s second election of the year.
The head of state called a new election after April s election wound up in a protracted deadlock, with the two sides on 26 seats each.
The Samoa Electoral Commission shows electoral officials monitoring the counting during the general election in the capital city of Apia.
Photo: AFP or licensors
According to the writs issued by the head of state, only candidates who contested April s election can run in this month s one.
If any of the nearly 200 candidates don t want to go a second round, they have until tomorrow to withdraw.
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(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Samoans could elect their first woman prime minister later this month in the rerun of an April general election that was overshadowed by controversy over the use of gender quota rules in the small Pacific island nation.
A new party led by Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, who was bidding to become Samoa’s first female premier, had been headed for a one-seat majority until electoral authorities gave the ruling party an extra lawmaker to meet a 10% female representation rule.
That led to a 26-seat tie between Fiame’s opposition Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) and the long-governing Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) of Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The
Samoa Observer reports the decision comes hours after the paper revealed that as part of his negotiations with both parties, Tuala had asked HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sa ilele Malielegaoi to stand down, as a condition of the party securing his vote.
Tuala s announcement, and creation of an additional parliamentary seat last night leaves Parliament in a 26-26 deadlock.
Samoa Independent MP, Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponfasio,
Photo: Social Media
Parties are only given 45 days after election day to form a government.
The villages of Mauga, Patamea, Samalaeulu and Saleaula gathered at Samalaeulu and hosted an ava ceremony for Tuala.
The decision was met with loud applause and cheers from the constituents gathered.