O le Ao o le Malo
| Samoa Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa | |
|---|---|
| O le Ao o le Malo o le Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa | |
| File:Coat of arms of Samoa.svg | |
| File:Flag of Samoa.svg | |
since 21 July 2017 | |
| 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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| File:Coat of arms of Samoa.svg |
|---|
| Constitution |
The O le Ao o le Malo (lit. 'chief of the state' in Samoan)[a] is the ceremonial head of state of Samoa. In English, the office is alternatively referred to using the title of Head of State (HOS).[4]
At the time the constitution was adopted, it was anticipated that future heads of state would be chosen from among the four tamaʻāiga paramount chieftains in line with customary protocol.[5] 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". Similar to monarchs, the holder is given the formal style of His Highness, as is the case with the four tamaʻāiga.
The Council of Deputies collectively acts as the deputy to the head of state, substituting in the event of a vacancy or when the head of state cannot otherwise fulfill their duties. The incumbent head of state is Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, who was elected to a five-year term in 2017 and re-elected in 2022.[6]
History
[edit | edit source]The 1960 constitution of Samoa stipulated that heads of state were to be elected by the Legislative Assembly for five-year terms. At the same time, it created an exception for Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole and Malietoa Tanumafili II, named jointly for a life tenure beginning on Samoa's independence day on 1 January 1962.[7][8] They represented, respectively, the paramount lineages of the Tupua Tamasese and Malietoa; both had fiercely competed in a civil war during the late 19th century for control for the four district chieftain titles, known as pāpā.[5] The two officeholders were jointly known as O Ao o le Malo and individually as O le Ao o le Malo. On the death or resignation of either, the surviving counterpart would remain in office alone, and the article which constituted their appointment would be sunset after the end of both terms.[7][5]
Tupua Tamasese died in 1963, leaving Malietoa as sole head of state.[9][10] The former home of writer Robert Louis Stevenson in Vailima served as the head of state's official residence until it was damaged in cyclones in the 1990s; the building subsequently became the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.[11]
Malietoa died in May 2007,[9][10] triggering the first election of a head of state by the Legislative Assembly in June. Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi, who had served two prior terms as Prime Minister and is the elder son of Meaʻole, won the nomination of the Legislative Assembly.[12]
The fourth and current head of state, Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, is the great-grandson of Mau movement leader Tuimalealiʻifano Faʻaoloiʻi and nephew of the original member of the Council of Deputies, Tuiaana Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II. He has held the paramount title of Tuimalealiʻifano since 1977.[13][14]
In 2019, the Samoan government led by the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) amended the constitution, introducing a two-term limit for the head of state.[2] In November 2021, the government of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party announced that it was considering an amendment to make the office a lifetime appointment. This suggestion was part of a review of the constitution.[15]
Qualifications
[edit | edit source]Article 18 of the Samoan constitution sets the qualifications for the position of head of state. They must:
- be eligible for election as a member of the Legislative Assembly;
- possess such qualifications as the Legislative Assembly may determine by resolution;
- not have previously been removed from the office on the grounds of misbehavior or infirmity.[7]
Term of office
[edit | edit source]The head of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly for five years and can be re-elected once. The exceptions to this were Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole and Malietoa Tanumafili II, who were exempted from the election and term length clauses laid down by Article 19.[7] A 2019 amendment to the constitution states that the head of state can serve no more than two terms.[2]
A head of state's term may be terminated by:
- resignation;
- removal by the Legislative Assembly on the grounds of misbehavior or mental or physical infirmity;
- approval by two-thirds of the Legislative Assembly 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;[7]
- death.
Duties and powers
[edit | edit source]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 Legislative Assembly. While the head of state "does not play an active role in government", they can dissolve the Assembly, and no act of the Assembly becomes law without their approval – akin to royal assent in monarchies.[16] They also have the power to grant pardons.[17]
Elections
[edit | edit source]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.[18] The fourth was held on 23 August 2022, in which Sualauvi II was reelected unopposed.[19]
List of officeholders
[edit | edit source]- Political affiliations
- Status
- Symbols
C Constitutional referendum
D As member of the Council of Deputies
† Died in office
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Timeline
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Define $today = 25/05/2026
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1962 till:$today TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1962 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1962
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id:none value:gray(0.7) legend:Independent
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TextData =
pos:(20,45) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:"Political parties:"
BarData =
bar:TupuaTamaseseMea'ole bar:MalietoaTanumafiliII bar:TuiAtuaTupuaTamaseseEfi bar:Tuimaleali'ifanoVa'aleto'aSualauviII
PlotData =
width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar:TupuaTamaseseMea'ole from: 01/01/1962 till: 05/04/1963 color:none text:"Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole" bar:MalietoaTanumafiliII from: 01/01/1962 till: 11/05/2007 color:none text:"Malietoa Tanumafili II" bar:TuiAtuaTupuaTamaseseEfi from: 20/06/2007 till: 21/07/2017 color:none text:"Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi" bar:Tuimaleali'ifanoVa'aleto'aSualauviII from: 21/07/2017 till: $today color:none text:"Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II"
</timeline>
See also
[edit | edit source]- Samoa
- Lists of office-holders
- King of Malaysia – similar concept in Malaysia
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ^ Ao is a title generally reserved for chiefs (matai), while malo means 'state' or 'government'.
- ^ Life tenure. Served jointly with Tanumafili II.
- ^ Life tenure. Served jointly with Meaʻole until 5 April 1963.
References
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- ^ New head of state for Samoa Radio New Zealand International, 5 July 2017
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