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Politics Of Samoa
Politics of Samoa takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic state whereby the Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government. Existing alongside the country's Western-styled political system is the '' faʻamatai'' chiefly system of socio-political governance and organisation, central to understanding Samoa's political system. From the country's independence in 1962, only ''matai'' could vote and stand as candidates in elections to parliament. In 1990, the voting system was changed by the Electoral Amendment Act which introduced universal suffrage. However, the right to stand for elections remains with ''matai'' title holders. Therefore, in the 51-seat parliament, all 49 Samoan Members of Parliament are also ''matai'', performing dual roles as chiefs and modern politicians, with the exception of the two seats reserved for non-Samoans. At the local level, much of the country's civil and criminal matters are dealt with by some 360 village chief c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parliamentary System
A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of the legislature, to which they are held accountable. This head of government is usually, but not always, distinct from a ceremonial head of state. This is in contrast to a presidential system, which features a president who is not fully accountable to the legislature, and cannot be replaced by a simple majority vote. Countries with parliamentary systems may be Constitutional monarchy, constitutional monarchies, where a monarch is the head of state while the head of government is almost always a member of parliament, or Parliamentary republic, parliamentary republics, where a mostly ceremonial president is the head of state while the head of government is from the legislature. In a few countries, the head of government is also head of state ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Universal Suffrage
Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion of the young and non-citizens (among others). At the same time, some insist that more inclusion is needed before suffrage can be truly universal. Democratic theorists, especially those hoping to achieve more universal suffrage, support presumptive inclusion, where the legal system would protect the voting rights of all subjects unless the government can clearly prove that disenfranchisement is necessary. Universal full suffrage includes both the right to vote, also called active suffrage, and the right to be elected, also called passive suffrage. History In the first modern democracies, governments restricted the vote to those with property and wealth, which almost always meant a minority of the male population. In some jurisdiction ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parliamentary Republic
A parliamentary republic is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system of government where the Executive (government), executive branch (the government) derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (the parliament). There are a number of variations of parliamentary republics. Most have a clear differentiation between the head of government and the head of state, with the head of government holding real power and the head of state being a ceremonial position, similar to Constitutional monarchy, constitutional monarchies. In some countries the head of state has reserve powers to use at their discretion as a non-partisan "referee" of the political process. Some have combined the roles of head of state and head of government, much like presidential systems, but with a dependency upon Motion of no confidence, parliamentary confidence. In general, parliamentary republics grant the Parliamentary sovereignty , highest sovereign powers to the parliament. P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi
Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Tupuola Tufuga Efi (born Olaf "Efi" Tamasese; 1 March 1938) is a Samoan paramount chief and politician. He heads one of Samoa's two royal families, the ''Sā Tupua'' (descendants of Queen Salamasina), through the family's maximal lineage title, Tupua Tamasese. He also holds the ancient ''pāpā'' title of Tui Ātua (sovereign of Atua). Tui Ātua served as the third prime minister of Samoa from 1976 to 1982 and again later in 1982. He also served as O le Ao o le Malo (head of state of Samoa) from 2007 to 2017. As of late 2024, he was reappointed to serve on the Council of Deputies. Early life and education Tupua was born on 1 March 1938 at Motoʻotua in Samoa. He is the son of Samoa's first co-head of state ( O le Ao o le Malo), Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole (1905–1963), and Irene Gustava Noue Nelson, of Samoan, Swedish and British descent. He is also the nephew of Samoa's celebrated independence movement leader, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III and the cous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Death And State Funeral Of Malietoa Tanumafili II
Malietoa Tanumafili II, the O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) of Samoa and paramount chief of the Malietoa lineage, died on 11 May 2007, aged 94. At the time of his death, he was head of state for over 45 years, having been appointed for life to the post when Samoa gained independence in 1962. His state funeral was held on 18 May and was attended by a significant amount of domestic and regional dignitaries. Illness and death Prior to his death, Malietoa had been treated for pneumonia at the Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole National Hospital in Motoʻotua, near Apia. Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi visited Malietoa's relatives at the hospital on 10 May 2007, where a church service had been conducted. He died at 18:45 on 11 May ( UTC−11:00). Sources close to him said that he died as a result of "chest complications". His death was announced on state broadcaster SBC TV1 by Secretary of State Vaʻasatia Poloma Komiti, who added that Tuilaʻepa would address the nat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Council Of Deputies
The Council of Deputies () is a constitutional body in Samoa. Its members serve as Deputy O le Ao o le Malo and act as head of state when the office of O le Ao o le Malo is vacant or when the incumbent is unable to fulfill their duties due to absence or incapacitation. The Council was established by the constitution at independence on 1 January 1962. It consists of between one and three members, who are elected by the Legislative Assembly. If there are no members, the Chief Justice acts in their place.Constitution of Samoa Constitute Project Elections to the Council are required to take place as soon as possible after a new O le Ao o le Malo is elected. Members *[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuiaana Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II
Tuiaana Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II (1914 – 24 July 1974) was a Western Samoan paramount chief, politician and church elder. For most of the period between 1962 and 1974 he was the only member of the Council of Deputies, whose members serve as deputy to the O le Ao o le Malo. Biography Suatipatipa was born in 1914,Morgan A. Tuimalealiʻifano (2006O Tama a ʻāiga: The Politics of Succession to Sāmoa's Paramount Titlespiiii the son of Tuimalealiʻifano Faʻaoloiʻi Siʻuaʻana I, a member of the anti-colonial Mau movement. He was educated at Marist Brothers schools in Samoa and New Zealand.T.T. Suatipatipa II ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', September 1974, p102 In 1952 he succeeded his father as [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II
Fiamē Mataafa Faumuina Mulinuu II (5 August 1921 – 20 May 1975) was a Samoa, Western Samoan paramount chief and politician. The holder of the Mataafa title, one of the four main Samoan Faamatai, chieftainships, he became the first Prime Minister of Samoa, prime minister of Western Samoa in 1959, serving until 1970. He held the position again from 1973 until his death in 1975. Biography Mata'afa was born in 1921, the son of Paramount Chief Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I. He was educated at the Marist Brothers school in Apia. He married Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa, a teacher educated in New Zealand and who later became Samoa's High Commissioner (1993–1997) to New Zealand. He was bestowed with the Fiame title in 1948,Lauofo Meti (2002) ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution'', National University of Samoa, p322 and also became a Faumuina. When his father died in 1948, he acceded to the Mata'afa title. He was a senior grade rugby union, rugby player and President of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
