General elections were held in
Western Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); a ...
on 26 April 1996. The result was a victory for the
Human Rights Protection Party
The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP, sm, Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata) is a Samoan political party. It was founded in 1982 and dominated Samoan party politics for decades thereafter, leading every government until their defea ...
, which won 24 of the 49 seats. The
Samoan National Development Party
The Samoan National Development Party (SNDP) was a political party in Samoa, and the country's main opposition party between 1988 and 2003.
The party was formed from a merger of the Christian Democratic Party and Samoa National Party in April 1988 ...
won 11 seats, the
Samoa Liberal Party
The Samoa Liberal Party was a political party in Samoa. It was founded in June 1993 by three MPs expelled from the Human Rights Protection Party for crossing the floor and voting against part of the government's budget. The party's first leader w ...
1, and independents 13.
Following the elections, the 12th Samoan Parliament was sworn in on 16 May 1996. The HRRP was able to form a government with the support of 10 independent MPs.
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Background
During the previous election held in 1991, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party, led by prime minister Tofilau Eti Alesana
Tofilau Eti Alesana, AC, born Aualamalefalelima Alesana (4 June 1924 – 19 March 1999) was a Samoan politician who served as the fifth prime minister of Samoa from 1982 to 1985, and again from 1988 until his resignation in 1998.
Biography
...
, won re-election with a simple majority of 27 seats in parliament. The opposition Samoan National Democratic Party, led by former prime minister Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi
Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Tupuola Tufuga Efi (born Olaf "Efi" Tamasese; 1 March 1938) is a Samoan political leader and as holder of the maximal lineage Tama-a-'āiga title of Tupua Tamasese, is one of the four paramount chiefs of Samoa. He also h ...
, secured 15 seats, whilst independents won the remaining five.
In January 1994, the government introduced a 'value-added tax' on services and goods, sparking widespread protests. This bill also led to demands that prime minister Tofilau resign. The demonstration concluded after two months when the government agreed to omit the most contentious aspects of the bill. Later that year, the legislative assembly approved a bill proposed by the HRPP government to extend the parliamentary from three to five years.[
Western Samoa's chief auditor, ]Su'a Rimoni Ah Chong Su'a Rimoni Ah Chong (born c. 1954) is a Samoan politician and former Controller and Chief Auditor of Samoa. He was the leader of the Samoa Party. As the Controller and Chief Auditor, Su'a Rimoni's efforts against government corruption in Samoa earn ...
, released an annual report to parliament in 1994 that exposed widespread corruption within the HRPP government. Prime minister Tofilau responded by establishing a committee to investigate Su'a and had him suspended. Su'a then sued the legislative assembly and the attorney-general
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
.
Results
See also
* List of members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa (1996–2001)
References
{{Samoan elections
Elections in Samoa
Western Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); a ...
1996 in Samoa