An indirect election was held in Samoa to elect the O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) on 16 June 2007[1] after the death of the country's head of state for four and a half decades, Malietoa Tanumafili II, in May 2007. Former Prime Minister Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi was elected unopposed by the 49-member strong parliament.[2] This election was the first to occur for an O le Ao o le Malo since Samoa gained independence in 1962.
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Background
editThe O le Ao o le Malo is the head of state of Samoa, an office which was established on its independence in 1962. The position is mostly ceremonial. Although power is vested in the prime minister and their cabinet, the head of state can dissolve the Legislative Assembly, and no act can become law without their signature.[3][4]
The constitution, drafted in 1960 and adopted upon independence, stated that two paramount chiefs, Malietoa Tanumafili II and Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole, representatives of "two of the four main family lineages", would serve as co-heads of state for life.[5] After the termination of both of their terms, the Legislative Assembly would elect successive heads of state.[3]
The election was triggered by the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II in May 2007, who served as the sole head of state of Samoa since Tupua Tamasese predeceased him in 1963.[6][7] Per the Constitution, the two members of the Council of Deputies at the time, Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi and Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, served as acting co-heads of state until a successor would be elected.[8]
Eligibility
editParliament elects the head of state for a five-year term. According to the Constitution, the legislative assembly may only nominate one individual to be head of state. For an individual to qualify to be head of state, they must be a Samoan citizen, be eligible to run for parliament and not have previously been removed from the office.[3]
Election
editTui Ātua was the sole nominee elected as head of state.[9] A former prime minister and son of Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole, he was previously the opposition leader and became a member of the Council of Deputies in 2004.[10][11] He was sworn in at parliament for his first term on 20 June 2007.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Samoa to elect new head of state in June". People's Daily. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011.
- ^ a b RNZ. "Samoa to swear in new Head of State tomorrow afternoon". Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa 1960". Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Kogan Page; World of information (2003). Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04, 21st edition. Essex, England: Walden Publishing Ltd. p. 41. ISBN 0-7494-4063-5.
- ^ Hassall, Graham & Saunders, Cheryl (2002). Asia-Pacific Constitutional Systems. Cambridge University Press. p. 41. ISBN 0-521-59129-5.
- ^ "Dark day for Samoa". Samoa Observer. 12 May 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Samoa's Head of State Malietoa dies aged 95". NZ Herald. 13 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Sagapolutele, Fili (18 June 2007). "Samoa Head of State Announced". Pacific Magazine. Pacific Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ New Zealand Herald (16 June 2007). "New head of state for Samoa". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- ^ Jackson, Cherelle (20 June 2007). "Two men make history in Samoa". New Zealand Herald. The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Name says it all for Samoa's new leader". The New Zealand Herald. 28 June 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.