Samoa
Legislative Assembly
Data on women
empty
Basic information > About parliament
Speaker
Speaker
Papali’i Li’o Oloipola Taeu
Masipau
(Male)
Year of birth
1953
Additional information
Sworn in on 24 May 2021.
Secretary general
Secretary General
Leatisa Uitime
Tala
(Male)
Notes
Additional information about the Secretary General, in particular regarding their term.
Appointed on 20 Oct. 2021.
Members
Current number of members, by sex
Men
The number of male parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
40
Women
The number of female parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
Percentage of women
Calculated by dividing the current number of women by the current number of members.
Reserved seats and quotas
Number of reserved seats, by group
Women
5
Electoral quota for women
Quotas to promote the representation of women in parliament.
Notes
Women shall constitute a minimum of 10% of the Members of the Legislative Assembly. This provision will apply to the parliament to be elected in 2016. (Source: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/gender-quotas )
Elections > Election results
Candidates
Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
189
Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
21
Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
11.11%
Number of candidates, by sex
Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
21
Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
11.11%
Results
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
40
Number of women elected
4
Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
7.84%
Note on the Distribution of seats according to sex
The data on Samoa was excluded from Monthly ranking of women in national parliaments for May and June 2021, pending the election results. They were retrospectively updated in August.
By 27 July, the elections of 44 members, including four women, had been confirmed: 26 from FAST (including three women) and 18 from HRPP (including one woman). However, only the 26 FAST members had been sworn in as at 19 August. Seven other seats remained vacant, pending by-elections triggered by election petitions.
By 27 July, the elections of 44 members, including four women, had been confirmed: 26 from FAST (including three women) and 18 from HRPP (including one woman). However, only the 26 FAST members had been sworn in as at 19 August. Seven other seats remained vacant, pending by-elections triggered by election petitions.
Number of women after election or renewal, by mode of designation
Women Directly Elected
4
New legislature
Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
40
Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
4
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature
First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Papali’iu Li’o Oloipola Taeu
Masipa
(Male)
Political party
Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST)
Date of election
24.05.2021
Elections > Historical data on women
Women's suffrage
Date of independence
For countries that become independent after 1940
1961
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1948
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Suffrage: Restrictions detail
Only matais and non-Samoan (of European or Chinese decent) men and women who had completed all residence and citizenship formalities had the right to vote
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, under the administration of New Zealand, women were granted the right to vote, with restrictions, in 1948. This right was extended to universal suffrage in 1990.
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1990
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Detail of restrictions
Suffrage: Restrictions detail
Between 1948 and 1990, only matais and non-Samoan (of European or Chinese decent) men and women who had completed all residence and citizenship formalities had the right to vote
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, under the administration of New Zealand, women were granted the right to vote, with restrictions, in 1948. This right was extended to universal suffrage in 1990.
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election
Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1990
National or local
Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Universal
Detail of restrictions
Stand for Election: Restrictions detail
Between 1948 and 1990, only matais and non-Samoan (of European or Chinese decent) men and women who had completed all residence and citizenship formalities had the right to vote and stand for election
Notes
Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
Prior to independence, under the administration of New Zealand, women were granted the right to vote and stand for election, with restrictions, in 1948. This right was extended to universal suffrage in 1990.
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament
Year in which first woman entered parliament
1964