Political stalemate

Samoa's Head of State Tuimalealiifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II called for the election​ on the 21st May to end the deadlock following last month's election.

Both the ruling Human Rights Protection Party and opposing Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party are tied on 26 seats each.

Massey University political analyst Dr Christina Laalaai-Tausa says caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.​Tuilaepa is not willing to accept his defeat.

The new FAST party, which has the same number of seats as the caretaker HRPP party, at 26, is seeking to have the Supreme Court overturn the appointment of a sixth woman to parliament.

Last week the Office of the Electoral Commission appointed Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuaau to ensure that at least ten percent of the parliament's seats are held by women.

But FAST claims in its motion to the court, that this is a misreading of the constitution.