Politics of Samoa

The politics of Samoa take place in a framework of parliamentary representative democracy whereby the Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government. Existing alongside the country's Western-styled political system is the faʻamatai chiefly system of socio-political governance and organisation, central to understanding Samoa's political system.

From the country's independence in 1962, only matai could vote and stand as candidates in elections to parliament. In 1990, the voting system was changed by the Electoral Amendment Act which introduced universal suffrage. However, the right to stand for elections remains with matai title holders. Therefore, in the 51-seat parliament, all 49 Samoan Members of Parliament are also matai, performing dual roles as chiefs and modern politicians, with the exception of the two seats reserved for non-Samoans. At the local level, much of the country's civil and criminal matters are dealt with by some 360 village chief councils, Fono o Matai, according to traditional law, a practice further strengthened by the 1990 Village Fono Law.

The national government (malo) generally controls the legislative assembly as it is formed from the party which controls the majority seats in the assembly. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the assembly, but the government generally controls legislation through its weight of numbers in the Fono. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The 1960 Constitution, which formally came into force with independence, is based on the British Westminster model of parliamentary democracy, modified to take account of Samoan customs. Two of Samoa's four highest ranking paramount chiefs (tama a ʻāiga) at the time of independence, Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole and Malietoa Tanumafili II, were given lifetime appointments to jointly hold the office of head of state (O le Ao o le Malo). Another paramount chief, Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II was elected into parliament and became the first Prime Minister of Samoa. The fourth, Tuiaana Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II, was made a member of the Council of Deputies (deputy head of state). After Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole's death in 1963, Malietoa continued to hold the post of Head of State alone. He died in May 2007 and his successor, Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi was elected by the legislature for a five-year term in June 2007. At the time the Constitution was adopted it was anticipated that future Heads of State would be chosen from among the four tama a ʻāiga. However, this is not required by the Constitution and for this reason Samoa can be considered a parliamentary republic rather than a constitutional monarchy like the United Kingdom. Parliament (the Fono) can also amend the constitution through a simple majority of votes in the house.

The Samoa system is a very hard model of parliamentary democracy where the executive and the legislative arms of government are fused together. The prime minister is chosen by a majority in the Fono and is appointed by the head of state to form a government. The prime minister's preferred cabinet of 12 is appointed and sworn in by the head of state, subject to the continuing confidence of the Fono, which since the rise of political parties in Samoa in the 1980s, is controlled by the party with the majority of members in the Fono (the government).

The unicameral legislature, named the Fono Aoao Faitulafono (National Legislative Assembly) contains 49 members serving five-year terms. Forty-seven are elected from ethnic Samoan territorial constituencies; the other two are chosen by the Samoan citizens of non-Samoan origin on a separate electoral roll. Universal suffrage was extended in 1990, but only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Samoan seats. There are more than 25,000 matai in the country, about 5% of whom are women.

Le Mamea Ropati is the sole current member of the Council of Deputies, and acts as deputy to the head of state.

The judicial system is based on English common law and local customs. The Supreme Court of Samoa is the court of highest jurisdiction. The Court of Appeal has limited jurisdiction to hear only those cases referred to it by the Supreme Court. Below the Supreme Court are the district courts. The chief justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Head of State on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.