By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
Samoa’s Supreme Court has thrown out the Head of State’s decision to call a second election, clearing the path for the newcomer FAST party to form a government.
Announcing the second election earlier this month, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II told Samoans it was the best way to break the political deadlock that emerged after last month’s election.
However the court today found that he had no constitutional power to call for the election while outstanding matters relating to April’s election were still unresolved.
This decision followsĀ another ruling by the court earlier todayĀ which gave FAST an electoral majority, by voiding the addition of an un-elected extra women’s seat.
The sixth women’s seat had created the deadlock between FAST and the caretaker government HRPP party following last month’s general election.
It is expected that FAST’s leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa will call for parliament to be re-called so as she can declare a government.
Fiame would become Samoa’s first woman prime minister.
More to come…
