Human Rights Protection Party

The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP, Samoan: Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata) is a Samoan political party. It was founded in 1979 and dominated Samoan party politics for decades thereafter, leading every government until their defeat in 2021.

Human Rights Protection Party
Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata
LeaderTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Deputy LeaderFonotoe Pierre Lauofo[1]
FoundedMay 1979
IdeologyChristian democracy
Social conservatism
Cultural conservatism
Political positionCentre[2] to centre-right[3]
ReligionChristianity
ColoursBlue
Legislative Assembly
20 / 53
Website
Official website

Va'ai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana co-founded the party in May 1979 in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi.[4] 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.

Former prime minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi has led the party since 1998.

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[5] (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.[6][7] The Court of Appeal ruled against the HRPP on 23 July 2021, allowing the opposition to belatedly take power.[8]

In November 2022 MP's Ale Vena Ale and Tuu'u Anasi'i 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.[9][10]

Principles and policies

In June 2017, the Samoan Parliament passed a bill to increase support for Christianity in the country's constitution, including a reference to the Trinity. Article 1 of the Samoan Constitution states that “Samoa is a Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”. 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."[11] The preamble to the constitution already described the country as "an independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and traditions."[11]

Electoral performance

Legislative Assembly
Election Leader Votes  % Seats +/– Rank Government
1982 Va'ai Kolone 3,482 29.3
24 / 47
 Increase 1 Increase 1st Majority
1985 Tofilau Eti Alesana 4,698 34.5
32 / 47
 Increase 8 Steady 1st Supermajority
1988 5,017 35.9
23 / 47
 Decrease 9 Steady 1st Majority
1991 34,262 44.8
27 / 47
 Increase 4 Steady 1st Majority
1996 29,353 43.5
24 / 49
 Decrease 3 Steady 1st Majority coalition
2001 Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi 34,262 44.8
23 / 49
 Decrease 1 Steady 1st Majority
2006 42,156 50.2
33 / 49
 Increase 10 Steady 1st Supermajority
2011 48,771 55.6
29 / 49
 Decrease 4 Steady 1st Majority
2016 45,505 56.9
35 / 50
 Increase 6 Steady 1st Supermajority
2021 49,237 55.4
25 / 51
 Decrease 10 Steady 1st Opposition

References
  1. Marieta H Ilalio (23 April 2021). "HRPP Selects Fonotoe as Deputy Leader". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  2. Freedom House (2003). Freedom in the World 2003: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 475. ISBN 9780742528703.
  3. Derbyshire, J. Denis; Derbyshire, Ian (1989). Political Systems Of The World. New Delhi: Allied Publishers. p. 123. ISBN 9788170233077.
  4. Asofou So'o (2005). "The establishment and operation of Samoa's political party system". In Roland Rich, Luke Hambly and Michael G. Morgan (ed.). Political Parties in the Pacific Islands. Canberra: Pandanus Books. p. 189.
  5. 2010 Human Rights Report: Samoa, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, April 8, 2011
  6. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (22 May 2021). "Head of State suspends Parliament". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 22 May 2021. Samoa has been thrown into a constitutional crisis
  7. Jamie Tahana (22 May 2021). "Sitting of Samoa parliament cancelled; constitutional turmoil deepens". RNZ. Retrieved 22 May 2021. with the country now well engulfed in a constitutional crisis
  8. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 July 2021). "F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (3 November 2022). "Tu'u'u and Ale resign from H.R.P.P." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. "Samoan opposition MPs quit party to become independents". RNZ. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  11. Wyeth, Grant (16 June 2017). "Samoa Officially Becomes a Christian State". The Diplomat. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
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