Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi
Prime Minister of Samoa from 1998 to 2021 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Susuga Tuilaʻepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Saʻilele Malielegaoi (born 14 February 1944)[1] is a Samoan politician and economist who served as the sixth prime minister of Samoa from 1998 to 2021. Tuilaʻepa is Samoa's longest serving prime minister and was leader of the opposition from 2021 to 2022. Since 1998, he has led the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). Tuilaʻepa first entered parliament in 1981 when he won a by-election to represent the electorate of Lepā. He also served as deputy prime minister and minister of finance in the government of Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana, and also held the portfolios of Tourism and Trade, Commerce & Industry.[2]
The Honourable Susuga Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 5 July 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 27 July 2021 – 11 November 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Palusalue Faʻapo II[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th Prime Minister of Samoa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 23 November 1998 – 24 May 2021[lower-alpha 2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
O le Ao o le Malo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy |
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Preceded by | Tofilau Eti Alesana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 23 November 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy |
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Preceded by | Tofilau Eti Alesana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the Samoan Parliament for Lepā | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office May 1981[lower-alpha 3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Fatialofa Momoʻe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Saʻilele Malielegaoi (1944-02-14) 14 February 1944 (age 80)[1][lower-alpha 4] Lepā, Western Samoa Trust Territory (now Samoa) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Human Rights Protection Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Gillian Meredith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sports career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tuilaʻepa lost his majority in the 2021 election but refused to leave office, leading to the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis. The crisis was resolved by Samoa's Court of Appeal on 23 July 2021, which ruled that Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa had been prime minister since 24 May.[3] On 26 July, Tuilaʻepa conceded defeat and assumed the role of opposition leader the following day.[4][5] Tuilaʻepa was indefinitely suspended from the legislative assembly on 24 May for breach of parliamentary privileges and contempt of parliament. The indefinite suspension was recommended by the privileges and ethics committee.[6] He later described his suspension as a "witch hunt".[7] However, he was later reinstated on 13 September following a Supreme Court ruling that voided the suspension. The privileges and ethics committee then reconvened and suggested that Tuilaʻepa be suspended again for 24 months until 4 July 2023. Parliament approved the recommendation on 19 October. His tenure as the opposition leader effectively ended in November 2022 after the speaker of parliament announced the legislature's recognition of Tuilaʻepa in the role had ceased due to his suspension. He was later succeeded by Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo. After the suspension was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on 4 July 2023, he again became opposition leader.