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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.
The Constitution of Samoa is a written constitution which is the supreme law in Samoa. It establishes Samoa as a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system and responsible government. It outlines the structure and powers of the Samoan government's three parts: the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
The word fono is a Samoan and Polynesian term for councils or meetings great and small and applies to national assemblies and legislatures, as well as local village councils. The modern government of Samoa exists on a national level alongside the country's fa'amatai indigenous chiefly system of governance and social organisation. [3]
Faʻamatai is the key socio-political system of governance and way of life (faʻa Samoa) in Samoan culture. Inherent in the faʻamatai system is the welfare and well-being of the extended family ( ʻaiga ) and the protection of family property, consisting most importantly of customary land .
Samoa has 15 government ministries, each of which is a department of the government. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Each ministry is governed by a respective minister and has a Head of Department (CEO). The Prime Minister has the power to reassign and revoke ministers assignments to ministries.
At the national level, Samoa elects a legislature.The Fono or Legislative Assembly has 51 members elected for a five-year term from 51 electoral constituencies. Prior to 2019, the Legislative Assembly has 49 members, 47 members out of the matai (traditional heads of families) six of whom are elected from two-seat constituencies and 35 from single-seat constituencies, and 2 members by the non ...
In 1992 the Supreme Court of Samoa found that "Samoa has two systems of law working side by side. On the one hand, we have statute law, English common law and equity, on the other, custom and usage and the principles of customary law which governs the holding of matai titles and customary land—each legal system has its own court."
General elections were held in Samoa on 4 March 2016 to determine the composition of the 16th Parliament.Two parties contested the election, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), led by Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, which had been in government for most of the time since 1982 and the Tautua Samoa Party (TSP), led by Opposition Leader Palusalue Faʻapo II.