Va'aelua Eti Alesana (died 30 September 2011) was a Samoan politician and opposition leader who served as a founding member and President of the Tautua Samoa Party in 2011. [1]
He was the son of former Prime Minister of Samoa, Tofilau Eti Alesana. [1] [2] His sister, Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana-Gidlow, has remained a member of the ruling Human Rights Protection Party. [3]
Alesana was elected President of the opposition Tautua Samoa Party in February 2011, a post he held until his death later in the year. [2] He opposed Prime Minister's Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi re-election bid in the March 2011 general election. [2] However, Malielegaoi's was returned to office in the election.
Va'aelua Eti Alesana died in Samoa on Friday, 30 September 2011. [1] [4] The leader of Tautua Samoa, Palusalue Fa’apo II, said that "We are really saddened by this. He has done so much for the party." [1] Alesana was buried in his native village of Lalomalava, Savai'i. [5] In his eulogy, Palusalue Fa’apo II told mourners, "Va'aelua always maintained a positive attitude and before the General Elections last March, he kept encouraging the Tautua Samoa members to stay positive, despite the odds being stacked against us." [5]
Tofilau Eti Alesana 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.
SusugaTuilaʻepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Saʻilele Malielegaoi is a Samoan politician and economist who served as the sixth prime minister of Samoa from 1998 to 2021. Tuilaʻepa is Samoa's longest serving prime minister and was leader of the opposition from 2021 to 2022. Since 1998, he has led the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). Tuilaʻepa first entered parliament in 1981 when he won a by-election to represent the electorate of Lepā. He also served as deputy prime minister and minister of finance in the government of Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana, and also held the portfolios of Tourism and Trade, Commerce & Industry.
AfiogaFiamē Naomi Mataʻafa is a Samoan politician and High Chief (matai) who has served as the seventh Prime Minister of Samoa and leader of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party since 2021.
Misa Telefoni Retzlaff is a Samoan author and retired politician who served as the deputy prime minister of Samoa and deputy leader of the Human Rights Protection Party from 2001 to 2011. A member of the Human Rights Protection Party, Retzlaff was also minister of finance from 2006 to 2011.
The prime minister of the Independent State of Samoa is the head of government of Samoa. The prime minister is a member of the Legislative Assembly, and is appointed by the O le Ao o le Malo for a five-year term. Since independence in 1962, a total of seven individuals have served as prime minister. The incumbent was disputed due to the 2021 constitutional crisis, when Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi refused to accept the results of the 2021 general election. On 23 July 2021, the Samoan Court of Appeal ruled that the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party had been in government since 24 May. Tuila'epa then conceded defeat, resulting in FAST party leader Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa becoming prime minister.
Tuiloma Pule Alaimoana Unasa Lameko Gae’e was a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
Vaʻai Kolone was the fourth prime minister of Samoa and a founder of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) in Samoa. He served as prime minister twice, first between 13 April and 18 September 1982, and then from 30 December 1985 until 8 April 1988.
Tuiletufuga Le Mamea Ropati Mualia is a Samoan politician, and member of the Council of Deputies. He has served as a Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition and represented the constituency for Lefaga & Falese'ela for over thirty years. He was a founding member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
The Tautua Samoa Party was a political party in Samoa. The party's policies include economic development, particularly in the agricultural sector, public service reform, a limit on the number of Associate Ministers, and a reduction in the term of Parliament from 5 to 3 or 4 years. Its president was Afualo Wood Salele.
Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi is a Samoan politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He is the founder of the Tautua Samoa Party.
Vaʻai Papu Vailupe, also known as Mafasolia Papu Vailupe, was a Samoan politician and accountant who served as a Cabinet Minister. He was the leader of the Tautua Samoa Party from 2010 to 2011. His father is former Prime Minister Vaʻai Kolone, who co-founded the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). His younger brother Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai was leader of the Samoan Democratic United Party.
Afemata Palusalue Faʻapo II is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. From 2011 to 2016 he was the leader of the opposition Tautua Samoa Party.
A by-election was held in the Safata constituency in Samoa on 14 May 2010. The by-election was precipitated by the disqualification from the Legislative Assembly of Palusalue Fa’apo II for joining the Tautua Samoa Party. The election was won by Fa’apo.
General elections were held in Samoa on 4 March 2011, to determine the composition of the 15th Parliament. Two parties contested the election, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which had been in power for most of the time since 1982, led by Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi and the newly founded Tautua Samoa Party (TSP) led by Vaʻai Papu Vailupe, which several minor parties had merged into. The election occurred following amendments to the electoral act in 2009, including the introduction of the Monotoga law, a requirement for aspiring candidates to dedicate traditional village service and commitments. As a result, three TSP aspiring candidates, including a challenger for the prime minister's seat, were disqualified by the Supreme Court for failing to satisfy this law.
Indirect elections for the o le Ao o le Malo were held in Apia on 19 July 2012. Incumbent Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi was the only candidate, and was re-elected unopposed. He had been nominated by Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi and seconded by Palusalue Fa’apo II, the leader of the opposition.
General elections were held in Samoa on 9 April 2021 to determine the composition of the 17th Parliament. The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which had been in government for most of the time since 1982, was led into the election by Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, who had served as prime minister since 1998. The passage of the controversial Land and Titles bills by the HRPP led some party members to defect, establishing the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party promising a repeal. FAST elected Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, the daughter of Samoa's first prime minister, as leader shortly before the election; she left the ruling party and resigned as deputy prime minister in 2020, also in opposition to the amendments.
Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai is a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister who has served as the minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure since 2021.
Afualo Wood Uti Salele is a Samoan politician, matai and academic. He is the leader of the Tautua Samoa Party.
The deputy prime minister of the Independent State of Samoa is the deputy head of government of Samoa. The deputy prime minister is a member of the Legislative Assembly and cabinet, and is appointed by the O le Ao o le Malo on the advice of the prime minister. The incumbent, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party, has served since 2021. His role was disputed from 24 May to 23 July due to the 2021 constitutional crisis, which was resolved when the Samoan Court of Appeal ruled that the FAST government was legitimate.