# 2001 general election (2 March 2001)

URL: https://allhistories.com/samoa/timeline/2001-2001-general-election
Location: Apia, Samoa
Themes: main-event

Samoa voted on 2 March 2001 for the 13th Parliament, with 49 seats. The Human Rights Protection Party won 23 seats with 44.82 per cent of the vote, the Samoan National Development Party 13, a new Samoan United People's Party one and independents 12. No party had the 25 seats needed for a majority. The governing party stayed in office after four independents joined it. Voter registration was chaotic, with long queues, one death and several fights, and the government refused to allow overseas voting. The opposition demanded second recounts in 20 constituencies, and its leader resigned after the loss. Ten electoral petitions were filed and five were upheld, voiding those results. After the courts and by-elections the governing party held 29 seats and the opposition party 13. The vote confirmed the governing party's ability to assemble majorities from independents in the early years of the new premiership. At this point in the timeline (2001), Malietoa Tanumafili II (1 Jan 1962 – 11 May 2007) was O le Ao o le Malo, the head of state of independent Samoa, whose executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet; Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi (23 Nov 1998 – 24 May 2021) led the government.

## Why it matters
The result and its aftermath showed again that independents and the courts could decide the balance of power in the Samoan parliament.

Ruler at the Time: [Malietoa Tanumafili II](https://allhistories.com/samoa/rulers/malietoa-tanumafili-ii-1962)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — 2001 Samoan general election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Samoan_general_election)
- [Wikipedia — Human Rights Protection Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Protection_Party)