APIA, SAMOA – Samoa is preparing for early elections after Parliament voted this morning to reject the Government’s Appropriation Bill for 2025–2026. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa confirmed that with the budget defeated, her government would begin preparations for dissolution of Parliament and the holding of a general election, in line with Samoa’s constitutional provisions.
The vote against the Appropriation Bill was 34 to 16. HRPP MP Maulolo Tavita Amosa voted in favour of the budget reading, alongside Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa and her Cabinet. Former Minister Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua also supported the budget. However, the opposition, including HRPP and the faction led by La’auli Leuatea Schmidt, secured the majority against the Government.
In her address to Parliament before the vote, Fiame said:
“A pasia le tala o le tupe ua i le laulau a fono, tala o le tupe mo le 2025 ma le 2026, a pāsia, e fa’aauau le faigamālo lenei. Ae a lē pāsia pe tafea, le tulafono le tala fa’atatau o le tupe, ona tatou fa’agasolo loa lea, i aiaiga o le tulafono fa’avae e fa’ata’ape ai le palemene.”
Fiame’s comments made it clear that rejecting the budget would leave no option but to begin the process of dissolving Parliament and holding new elections. This followed two earlier no-confidence motions, one from HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and another from La’auli Leuatea Schmidt of FAST, both of which had failed.
Samoa’s electoral laws require a six-month nomination period for candidates, conflicting with the Constitution’s three-month timeframe for preparing a general election after Parliament’s dissolution. Fiame noted that voter registration is incomplete, with 52 percent of eligible voters registered, and major constituencies like Vaimauga and Faleata below 30 percent. She also warned that the government can only operate using 25 percent of the previous year’s budget if no new budget is approved, which could impact essential services.
The ongoing legal case involving La’auli Leuatea Schmidt and his associates continues. The trial, which began on 16 May, has raised questions about conflicts of interest in the investigation. Police Commissioner Auapaʻau Logoitino Filipo testified that he was both a complainant and the official who initiated charges against Sam Su’a and Sivai Kepi. More than 70 witnesses are expected to testify in the coming weeks.
As the budget debate progressed, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke before the Speaker’s decision, urging Parliament to focus on the content of the budget and not turn the vote into a political maneuver. He expressed concern that rejecting the budget simply because it was an option would undermine the work needed to secure Samoa’s financial future. Maulolo Tavita Amosa also appealed to the Speaker and to Parliament to reconsider and allow the budget reading to proceed. However, these efforts were unsuccessful, and the majority voted against the budget, setting the stage for the dissolution of Parliament and preparations for early elections.
This morning’s events leave Samoa preparing for early elections, as Parliament’s decision to reject the Appropriation Bill, combined with Fiame’s earlier indication of the necessary steps, has set the process in motion. The legal case involving La’auli Leuatea Schmidt and his associates continues, adding further complexity to the country’s political landscape.
Saunoaga Tusitusia ātoa a le Afioga i le tama’ita’i Palemia
