Samoa’s first female prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, has lost re-election after months of political conflict, ending her historic term in office. Official results released by the electoral commission on Friday show the opposition Fast party winning 30 of the 50 parliamentary seats. This gives Fast party leader La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt a clear path to become Samoa’s next prime minister.
Fiame, widely known as the “Iron Lady of the Pacific,” led the newly formed Samoa United Party (SUP), which captured only three seats in the vote. Her loss marks a dramatic shift after her landmark election in 2021 as the country’s first female prime minister.
Fiame’s rise to power came amid a tense election in 2021. That contest ended in a narrow victory and triggered legal disputes and constitutional debates. For 45 days, Samoa operated without a fully functioning government. Fiame was eventually sworn in outside parliament after being locked out of the chamber, a symbolic start to a challenging leadership.
Her tenure was further tested in 2023 when she expelled La’aulialemalietoa from the cabinet. He faced allegations including harassment and attempting to pervert the course of justice, which he denied. When he refused to resign, Fiame dismissed him. The Fast party later removed her as leader and installed him as head. Fiame responded by forming SUP and filing legal complaints against La’aulialemalietoa, accusing him of spreading conspiracy theories during the election campaign.
Fiame’s government faced additional challenges in April when the country suffered widespread blackouts. A state of emergency was declared, placing further pressure on her administration. The outages affected Samoa’s economy, already strained by rising inflation and increased living costs. In May, Fiame dissolved parliament after lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected her proposed government budget. She had also served as acting prime minister following the fall of her government, making her leadership a constant target of scrutiny.
Rising prices were a major concern for voters in Samoa, a nation of about 220,000 people. Many citizens expressed a desire for stability and a functioning government that could quickly pass a budget and address economic challenges. With the Fast party now holding a majority, La’aulialemalietoa is expected to be sworn in as Samoa’s next prime minister. His victory signals a return to political stability after years of uncertainty and internal party conflicts.
Observers note that voters were seeking a government capable of acting quickly to manage the country’s finances and public services. “Nobody wants the repetition of what happened in 2021,” said broadcaster Tui Eddie Taualapini before the election. “People just want a government to be established quickly and bring in the budget.”
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa’s historic tenure will be remembered for breaking gender barriers in Samoa while navigating extreme political instability. Her loss underscores the challenges of leading a small Pacific nation during turbulent economic and political times. After four years of groundbreaking leadership and political struggles, Samoa’s first female prime minister will leave office as the Fast party prepares to form the next government. Her defeat marks both a personal and political turning point in Samoa’s modern history.
