Democracy assitance & elections news from the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS)
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Country Profile:

Upcoming Elections

  • Parliamentary
    March 2011

Samoa

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA *
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILAEPA
  • Assembly: Samoa has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) with 49 seats.

* The monarch is hereditary. Upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term.

Description of electoral system:

  • The Chief is N/A by parliament.
  • In the Legislative Assembly (Fono), 47 members are elected from village-based electorates to serve 5-year terms and 2 members are elected by independent voters with no village affiliation to serve 5-year terms.***

*** People twenty-one years and over can vote, but only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 41 village-based electorates. 4 of the larger electorates have 2 representatives each in the Fono.

Population:

  • Population: 177,287 (July 2005 est.)

Future elections

  • Parliamentary - March 2011

Past elections

Last Updated on 08/17/2005

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