Human Rights Protection Party

History

Vaʻai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana co-founded the party in May 1979 in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi. It governed the country from first winning power in 1982 to 2021, except for a brief period in 1986 and 1987 when internal differences forced it into coalition.

The two founders of the early party, Kolone and Alesana, both became Prime Ministers of Samoa.

The U.S. State Department's 2010 human rights report (published on 8 April 2011) stated that the Human Rights Protection Party remained the only officially recognized party in the Legislative Assembly of Samoa 2010 Human Rights Report: Samoa, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, April 8, 2011 (the Fono) as of that date.

After the April 2021 Samoan general election the HRPP refused to yield power to the newly elected government, triggering the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis. The Court of Appeal ruled against the HRPP on 23 July 2021, allowing the opposition to belatedly take power.

In November 2022, MPs Ale Vena Ale and Tuʻuʻu Anasiʻi Leota resigned from the HRPP to become independents, saying they did not want to remain in a party led by a leader guilty of contempt of court.

Principles and policies

In June 2017, the Legislative Assembly passed a bill to increase support for Christianity in the country's constitution, including a reference to the Trinity in Article 1. According to The Diplomat, "What Samoa has done is shift references to Christianity into the body of the constitution, giving the text far more potential to be used in legal processes." The preamble to the constitution already described the country as "an independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and traditions."

Election results

Legislative Assembly elections

References

References

1. Marieta H Ilalio. (23 April 2021). "HRPP Selects Fonotoe as Deputy Leader". Samoa Global News.
2. (2003). "Freedom in the World 2003: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties". Rowman & Littlefield.
3. (1989). "Political Systems Of The World". Allied Publishers.
4. Asofou So'o. (2005). "Political Parties in the Pacific Islands". Pandanus Books.
5. Jamie Tahana. (22 May 2021). "Sitting of Samoa parliament cancelled; constitutional turmoil deepens". [[RNZ]].
6. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong. (23 July 2021). "F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld". Samoa Observer.
7. Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong. (3 November 2022). "Tu'u'u and Ale resign from H.R.P.P.". Samoa Observer.
8. (4 November 2022). "Samoan opposition MPs quit party to become independents". [[RNZ]].
9. Wyeth, Grant. (16 June 2017). "Samoa Officially Becomes a Christian State".