16 Apr 2021

Samoa election reveals big change in voting tendencies

From , 6:03 am on 16 April 2021

A Samoan academic says the two-way split in the national election results shows a major shift in voting tendencies.

Provisional results show the caretaker Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP is neck-and-neck with the newcomer Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party or FAST party.

A lecturer of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations at Victoria University, Iati Iati,  says traditionally voting considerations in Samoa are along family, church and cultural lines.

He joins me now, welcome and thank you for joining us on the show Dr Iati, so going into this election everyone was predicting an easy win for HRPP how has it got to this point?

Samoa general election, vote counting in Utuloa, Asau Savaii.

Samoa general election, vote counting in Utuloa, Asau Savaii. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Monica Miller