2016 Samoan general election

2016 Samoan general election

← 2011 4 March 2016 2021 →
All 49 seats in the Legislative Assembly (plus additional seats to meet quota of female MPs) 26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	69.64%
First party Second party   Tautua Leader Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi Palusalue Faʻapo II Party HRPP TSP Last election 55.56%, 29 seats 24.71%, 13 seats Seats won 35 2 Seat change 6 11 Popular vote 45,505 6,743 Percentage 56.92% 8.43% Swing 1.36 pp 16.28 pp
Prime Minister before election Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi HRPP Subsequent Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi HRPP

Politics of Samoa
Constitution
Executive O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II Council of Deputies Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio Cabinet Ministries
Legislative Legislative Assembly Speaker: Papali’i Li’o Taeu Masipau Members
Judiciary Court of Appeal of Samoa Supreme Court Chief Justice: Satiu Simativa Perese
Elections Recent elections General: 2011 2016 2021 Next Political parties
Administrative divisions Divisions
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Diplomatic missions of / in Samoa Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
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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.

The election was held following the passage of electoral reforms, including the implementation of a parliamentary women's quota that requires the legislature to have at least five female members. Parliament also introduced electoral boundary changes in 2015, which saw the abolition of the six double-member constituencies and the individual voters' seats, the constituents of the latter included voters with partial or no Samoan ancestry and individuals not connected to a traditional village.

The HRPP won a landslide re-election, securing 35 seats; although several cabinet ministers lost their seats. The TSP suffered a significant loss and retained only two seats, down from 13 in the 2011 election, and the party's leader was among those unseated. Only four female candidates were successful, resulting in the appointment of an additional female member to fulfil the women's quota, which increased parliament's seat count to 50. Following the election, 12 independents joined the HRPP, which increased the party's seats to 47 and preserved the ruling party's dominance over Samoan politics. The TSP was joined by one independent, increasing the party's seat share to three. Because the TSP failed to win at least eight seats, it lost recognition as a parliamentary party, which left Samoa without an official opposition.