COUNTRY	Independent State of Samoa
ELECTION TYPE	Parliamentary
DATE	March 31, 2006

• 49 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Fono)

• Chief of State: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILAEPA
• Assembly: Samoa has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) with 49 seats.

• The monarch is hereditary. Upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Legislative Assembly (Fono), 47 members are elected from village-based electorates and 2 members are elected by independent voters with no village affiliation, all to serve 5-year terms.*

*People twenty-one years and over can vote, but only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 41 village-based electorates. 4 of the larger electorates have 2 representatives each in the Fono.

• Party: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP)
  Leader: Sailele Malielegaoi TUILAEPA
  Seats won in last election: 30
  
  
• Party: Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP)*
  Leader: LE MAMEA Ropati Maulia
  Seats won in last election: N/A
  
  
• Party: Samoa Party
  Leader: Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG
  Seats won in last election: N/A
  
  
• Party: Samoa Christian Party
  Leader: Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA
  Seats won in last election: N/A
  
  
• Party: Samoa Progressive Party
  Leader: Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA
  Seats won in last election: N/A
  

*The Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP) was formed in 2003 from the Samoan National Development Party (SNDP) and the Samoan United Independent Party (SUIP). SNDP secured 13 seats in the last election.

• The last parliamentary election was held on March 3, 2001.

• Population: 177,287 (July 2005 est.)
• Number of registered voters: 76,000 (February 2006 est.)

• Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA, leader of the Samoa Christian Party, is the first female leader of a political party in Samoa.