On August 29, 2025, the Pacific island nation of Samoa headed to the polls in a snap general election that, by all accounts, marked a pivotal moment in its modern political history. With the dust now settling over the lush archipelago, early results and reactions hint at a country both relieved and poised for change—politically, socially, and in its stance on the world stage.
The election was called months ahead of schedule by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa after her minority government collapsed in May. The trigger? A dramatic budget vote defeat in Apia, the capital, which capped months of political turbulence. According to Associated Press, Fiame’s government had been rocked by the firing of a cabinet minister facing criminal charges, two close votes of no confidence, and finally, the inability to pass a budget—leaving her with little choice but to dissolve Parliament and seek a fresh mandate.
For many Samoans, the campaign period felt endless. As Aupito Tofae Su'a William Sio, former New Zealand politician and chair of the Pacific General Assembly Council of Chiefs, told RNZ Pacific, “Thank goodness it’s over. For a while, the general public, outside of the Apia township, just felt like we can’t wait to cast our vote and make the decision for these politicians.” He described a “huge relief” washing over the country once ballots were cast, a sense echoed in villages and towns across Samoa.
The stakes were high. Samoa’s Parliament has 51 seats, and this election drew a staggering 187 candidates, each required by law to hold a chiefly title and complete community service. Six political parties vied for power, but three dominated headlines: Fiame’s newly formed Samoa Uniting Party (SUP), the longstanding Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) led by Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, and the FAST party, now led by La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polata’ivao Schmidt. Notably, Schmidt was the cabinet minister ousted by Fiame earlier in the year and now faces charges ranging from harassment to defamation—charges he denies.
Preliminary results, announced on August 30 and reported by Samoa Global News and RNZ Pacific, showed the FAST party with a commanding lead: 33 seats according to one count, though other tallies placed them at 30. The HRPP trailed with either 12 or 14 seats, SUP with 3, and Independents with 3 or 4. Samoa’s unique electoral system means these numbers could shift as special votes are counted, legal petitions are addressed, and possible by-elections are held. Toleafoa Tuiafelolo Alexander Stanley, the country’s electoral commissioner, told media that official results would be tallied from September 1, with final announcements expected by September 5.
One of the most closely watched aspects of this election was the representation of women. Out of 26 female candidates, five emerged victorious in the preliminary count. According to Samoa Global News, three familiar faces return to Parliament: Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Samoa’s first woman prime minister, who secured her Lotofaga seat with 454 votes; Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, the country’s first woman Minister of Finance, who won Palauli 1 by a wide margin; and Seve Fuimaono Te’i, who reclaimed Safata 1. Two newcomers, Aeau Tima Leavai (Falealupo) and Afamasaga Leone Masami (Aana Alofi 4), also made history—Afamasaga winning by an impressive 265-vote lead over the next candidate.
Yet Samoa’s constitution requires that at least 10% of Parliament—six seats—be held by women. If the quota isn’t met through direct election, a complex mechanism adds the highest-polling unsuccessful women candidates after all legal challenges and by-elections. As former MP Aupito explained to RNZ Pacific, “So, if two women MPs have made this round. It’s likely that four women candidates who did not win in their seats but who still had the highest votes would be added on to the 51 seats.” This process, while designed to boost gender equity, has previously sparked legal disputes and political wrangling.
The campaign itself was dominated by bread-and-butter issues. Inflation and the soaring cost of food were at the forefront, as were electricity shortages that have led to blackouts and an economic slowdown throughout 2025. Fiame’s opponents, both seasoned and charismatic, made bold promises: Tuila’epa pledged a 14-mile bridge between Samoa’s two main islands—an ambitious project he said would be funded with help from China. Schmidt’s FAST party focused on universal payments for pregnant women and low-income families. Critics, as reported by Associated Press, questioned how these populist initiatives would be funded, especially as Samoa grapples with one of the highest ratios of debt to GDP in the Pacific.
Fiame, who made history in 2021 as Samoa’s first woman prime minister and only the second female head of government in the Pacific, countered that the cost of living crisis was not solely her government’s doing. Her campaign promises included removing taxes from basic food items and increasing pensions—measured, targeted steps rather than sweeping pledges. She also drew international attention for her cautious approach to Chinese loans, canceling a major port project in 2021 to avoid further debt, and for her advocacy on climate change, urging Australia and other major powers to do more for vulnerable island nations.
Beyond the campaign trail, the election was also about generational change and a new era of leadership. The HRPP, which had ruled Samoa for over four decades, saw its dominance wane in 2021 when Fiame’s FAST party ousted them. As Aupito observed, “For the first time ever, ordinary Samoan citizens in the villages made a big statement about what their expectations about leadership were. Clearly, they’ve spoken loud and clear.”
Voting itself went smoothly, with only minor issues—such as the illegal transportation of voters—reported to police. Pre-polling had begun on August 27, and by the weekend, a sense of calm and satisfaction had settled over the islands. “The preliminary results give you a clear indication that FAST won the popular vote, and perhaps just to allow them to go through, set themselves up as the new government, while these minor challenges might occur behind the scenes, but very rarely have we seen any significant changes after the preliminary results,” Aupito told RNZ Pacific.
As Samoa awaits the official tally and the resolution of any legal challenges, the country stands at a crossroads. The preliminary count suggests a decisive win for FAST, the possible return of seasoned women leaders, and the entry of new female voices into Parliament. With economic, social, and geopolitical challenges looming, Samoa’s next government faces a daunting but hopeful road ahead. For now, as one chief put it, the people have spoken—and the islands exhale, ready for what comes next.
