Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.Photo: Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Ta/AFP via Getty
Samoa’s first female prime minister took office on Monday morning in an unconventional ceremony outside a locked Parliament, underlining the pacific island’songoing constitutional crisis.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, 64, had to be sworn in with her FAST Party inside a makeshift tent because the doors of Parliament were locked to keep lawmakers from entering, according toCNNandNPR.
While Fiame emerged from the country’s April 9 election with a narrow margin of support, outgoing Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi of the HRP Party has refused to accept the results and step down from his position, which he has held for 22 years.
When Fiame and her supporters arrived at Parliament to form their new government, they found that the doors were locked after current head of state, Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II, reportedly canceled the session without reason.
“There is only one government in Samoa, even if we are just the custodian government. We remain in this role and operate business as usual,” he said.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.MALIETAU MALIETOA/AFP via Getty
Meanwhile, Fiame and her FAST Party took oaths and appointed minsters at their tent ceremony, per reports.
“There will be a time when we will meet again, inside that House. Let us leave it to the law,” she said.
However, the electoral commissioner created a new seat for an HRP candidate, claiming that it was to fulfill a gender quota. That decision resulted in another tie between Fiame’s coalition and Tuilaepa, this time 26-26.
While the tie-breaking election was set for last week, the FAST Party appealed and the country’s Supreme Court overturned the commission’s decision, confirming Fiame’s victory.
The court also invalidated the decision to cancel Parliament, according to CNN.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Ta/AFP via Getty
However, she has promised to maintain good relations with China.
source: people.com
