Independent State of Samoa: Parliament, 4 March 2016

At stake in this election:

• 49 seats in the Fono (Legislative Assembly)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: TUI ATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister TUILA’EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 1998)
• Assembly: Samoa has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) composed of 49 seats. 47 seats are reserved for traditional family chiefs and 2 seats are reserved for part-Samoan or non-Samoan members.

Description of electoral system:

• In the Fono, 35 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies, 12 members are elected by plurality vote in two-member constituency, and the 2 seats reserved for non- or part-Samoans are elected by plurality vote.

Last Election:

• The previous Legislative Assembly elections were held on 4 March 2011. The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) took 29 seats, but 7 independent members subsequently joined the HRPP, giving it 36 seats in total. The Tautua Samoa Party (TSP) took 13 seats.

Main parties in the election:

• Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP)
  • Leader: Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA’EPA
  • Seats won in last election: 36
• Tautua Samoa Party
  • Leader: Leatinu’u Salole LESA
  • Seats won in last election: 13
• Samoa Christian Party (TCP)
  • Leader: Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Samoa Progressive Political Party (SPPP)
  • Leader: Toalepaiali’i toesulusulu S’iueva POSE II
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independents

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 199,773 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: approx. 76,000 (2011 election)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 96,740

·         Is Samoa a signatory to CEDAW: N/A

·         Has Samoa ratified CEDAW: Yes, Accession (25 September 1992)

·         Gender Quota: Yes[1]

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 3 (6.12%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 105 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Samoa a signatory to CRPD: Yes (24 September 2014)

·         Has Samoa ratified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: 29,666