O le Ao o le Malo of the Independent State of Samoa | |
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O le Ao o le Malo o le Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa | |
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Style | His Highness |
Type | Head of state |
Residence | Vailele[1] |
Seat | Apia |
Appointer | Legislative Assembly |
Term length | Five years, renewable once[2] |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Samoa |
Inaugural holder | |
Formation | 1 January 1962 |
Deputy | Members of the Council of Deputies |
Salary | US$82,000 annually[3] |
Website | www.samoagovt.ws |
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Constitution |
The O le Ao o le Malo (lit. 'chief of the government' in Samoan)[a] is the ceremonial head of state of Samoa. The position is described in Part III of the 1960 Samoan constitution.[5] At the time the constitution was adopted, it was anticipated that future heads of state would be chosen from among the four Tama a 'Aiga matai paramount chiefs in line with customary protocol. This is not a constitutional requirement, so Samoa can be considered a parliamentary republic rather than a constitutional monarchy. The government Press Secretariat describes the O le Ao o le Malo as a "ceremonial president". The holder is given the formal style of Highness, as are the heads of the four paramount chiefly dynasties.
Members of the Council of Deputies act as deputy heads of state, standing in for the head of state when they are unable to fulfil their duties, such as when the head of state is either absent or ill.
The current O le Ao o le Malo is Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, who was elected to a five-year term which started on 21 July 2017. Tuimalealiʻifano was re-elected to a second five-year term on 24 August 2022,[6] and renewed his oath of office on 19 October.[7]
History of the office
The Samoan indigenous chiefly system comprises family chieftains (matai), the high titles (tafaʻifa) of Tui A'ana, Gatoa'itele, Tamasoali'i and Tui Atua, and the four main paramount families (tama a ʻaiga) of Malietoa, Mataʻafa, Tupua Tamasese and Tuimaleali'ifano. Two of these lineages, the Malietoa and Tupua, had fiercely competed in a civil war during the late 19th century for the titles of the tafaʻifa.[8] When Western Samoa became independent on 1 January 1962, the 1960 Constitution acknowledged this historical rivalry by jointly naming two of the four paramount chiefs to the office for life: Tanumafili II and Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole.[9] They represented, respectively, the Malietoa and Tupua Tamasese.[8] They were jointly known as O Ao o le Malo and individually as O le Ao o le Malo.[5]
On the death of one of the joint heads of state, the constitution provided that their surviving counterpart would retain the office alone, after which future heads of state were to be appointed for five-year terms.[8] Meaʻole died a year later in 1963, leaving Malietoa Tanumafili II as the sole holder of the office until his death in 2007, aged 94.[10][11] The latter's replacement, Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi, had served two prior terms as Prime Minister and is the elder son of Meaʻole. He was elected by the Samoan Legislative Assembly for a five-year term beginning on 20 June 2007[12] and again in July 2012 for a further five-year term.
The fourth and current head of state, Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, the great-grandson of Mau movement leader Tuimalealiʻifano Faʻaoloiʻi and nephew of the original member of the Council of Deputies Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II,[13] succeeded Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi after an election by the Legislative Assembly for a five-year term on 30 June 2017 when the latter's term was nearing its end.[14][15]
In 2019, the Samoan government amended the constitution, introducing term limits for the head of state. They may thus only be eligible for re-election once, for a total period in office of ten years.[2] In November 2021, the government announced that it was considering an amendment to make the office a lifetime appointment. This suggestion was part of a review of the constitution.[16]
The official residence of the head of state was the former home of writer Robert Louis Stevenson, until it was damaged in cyclones in the 1990s; the building subsequently became the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.[17]
Qualifications
Article 18 of the Samoan constitution sets the qualifications for the position of O le Ao o le Malo. He must:
- be qualified for election as a member of parliament;
- possess such qualifications as the Fono may determine by resolution;
- not have previously been removed from the office on the grounds of misbehavior or infirmity.[5]
Term of office
The head of state is elected by the Fono for five years and can be re-elected once. The exceptions to this were Tanumafili and Meaʻole, who were exempted from the five-year term laid down by Article 19.[5] A 2019 amendment to the constitution states that the head of state can serve no more than two terms.[2] There was an understanding that the office is to rotate among the four tama a ʻaiga families, of which the most recently elected belongs to the Tuimaleali'ifano lineage.[8]
Termination of office can occur in four ways:
- resignation;
- removal by the Fono on the grounds of misbehavior or mental or physical infirmity;
- approval by two-thirds of the Fono of a resolution for removal that is proposed and supported by at least a fourth of its members following at least fourteen days between the notice of motion and debate on the motion;[5]
- death.
Duties and powers
The position is that of a ceremonial figurehead, with actual power being held by the Prime Minister, whom the head of state appoints on the recommendation of the Fono. While the head of state "does not play an active role in government", they can dissolve the Fono and no act of parliament may become law without their approval – akin to royal assent in monarchies.[18] They may also grant pardons.[19]
Elections
To date, there have been four elections for the office of head of state. The first was held on 16 June 2007, in which Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi was elected unopposed by the 49-member strong parliament. The second was held on 19 July 2012, in which Efi was nominated by Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi and seconded by Palusalue Faʻapo II, the leader of the opposition. The third was held on 30 June 2017, in which Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II was elected unopposed.[20] The fourth was held on 23 August 2022, in which Sualauvi II was reelected unopposed.[6]
List of officeholders
- Status
- Symbols
C Constitutional referendum
† Died in office
No. | Portrait | Name
(Birth–Death) |
Elected | Term of office | Political party | Prime minister(s) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
1 | ![]() |
Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole (1905–1963)[b] |
1961[C] | 1 January 1962 | 5 April 1963[†] | 1 year, 94 days | Independent | Mulinuʻu II |
1 | ![]() |
Malietoa Tanumafili II (1913–2007)[c] |
1 January 1962 | 11 May 2007[†] | 45 years, 130 days | Independent | Mulinuʻu II Lealofi IV Tupua Kolone Alesana Tuila'epa | |
— | ![]() |
Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi (born 1938) Acting O le Ao o le Malo |
— | 11 May 2007 | 20 June 2007 | 40 days | Independent | Tuila'epa |
— | ![]() |
Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II (born 1947) Acting O le Ao o le Malo |
11 May 2007 | 20 June 2007 | Independent | |||
2 | ![]() |
Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi (born 1938) |
2007 2012 |
20 June 2007 | 21 July 2017 | 10 years, 31 days | Independent | Tuila'epa |
3 | ![]() |
Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II (born 1947) |
2017 2022 |
21 July 2017[21] | Incumbent | 6 years, 20 days | Independent | Tuila'epa Mataʻafa |
Notes
Timeline
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See also
- King of Malaysia
- Politics of Samoa
- List of colonial governors of Samoa
- Prime Minister of Samoa
- Lists of office-holders
References
- ^ $600,000 residence for Head of State re-opens, SAMOA
- ^ a b c "Parliament reduces Head of State's term to ten years". Samoa Observer. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Hill, Bruce (28 September 2016). "Samoan leaders salaries published by newspaper". ABC Radio Australia.
- ^ https://search.worldcat.org/de/title/o-le-ao-o-le-malo-of-samoa-malietoa-tanumafili-ii-tufuga-efi-o-le-ao-o-le-malo-tupua-tamasese-meaole-order-of-merit-of-samoa/oclc/980753629
- ^ a b c d e "Constitution of the Independent State of Western Samoa 1960". University of the South Pacific. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Samoan Parliament re-elects Head of State". RNZ Pacific. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Pacific news in brief for October 19". RNZ Pacific. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
Samoa's head of state has been sworn in by the Chief Justice for a second term of five years. [...] In August Parliament endorsed the appointment of Tuimalealiʻifano as head of state for a second term.
- ^ a b c d New Zealand Herald (28 June 2007). "Name says it all for Samoa's new leader". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ^ Hassall, Graham & Saunders, Cheryl (2002). Asia-Pacific Constitutional Systems. Cambridge University Press. p. 41. ISBN 0-521-59129-5.
- ^ "Samoan king dies at the age of 94". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 May 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
- ^ Jackson, Cherelle (13 May 2007). "Samoa's Head of State Malietoa dies aged 95". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ New Zealand Herald (16 June 2007). "New head of state for Samoa". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- ^ "TUIMALEALI'IFANO". members.iinet.net.au. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "New head of state for Samoa". Radio NZ. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- ^ "Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, is Samoa's fourth Head of State". Samoa Observer. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ "Samoa's Head of State could be appointed for life". RNZ Pacific. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ "Robert Louis Stevenson Museum". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Kogan Page; World of information (2003). Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04, 21st edition. Essex, England: Walden Publishing Ltd. p. 41. ISBN 0-7494-4063-5.
- ^ eDiplomat.com. "Samoa". Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ^ New head of state for Samoa Radio New Zealand International, 5 July 2017
- ^ New head of state for Samoa Radio New Zealand International, 5 July 2017
External links
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