Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi (born 14 April 1945)[1] is a Samoan politician. He was the Prime Minister of Samoa from 1998 until 2021. He became Opposition Leader in 2021 after refusing to say that he lost the 2021 election, causing the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis.
The Honourable Susuga Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Tuila'epa in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th Prime Minister of Samoa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 23 November 1998 – 24 May 2021[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| O le Ao o le Malo | Malietoa Tanumafili II Tupua Tamasese Efi Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Misa Telefoni Retzlaff Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tofilau Eti Alesana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 July 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Palusalue Faʻapo II (2016) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 November 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Misa Telefoni Retzlaff Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tofilau Eti Alesana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the Samoan Parliament for Lepā | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office May 1981 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Fatialofa Momo'e | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Sa'ilele Malielegaoi 14 April 1945 Lepā, Western Samoa Trust Territory (now Samoa) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Human Rights Protection Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Gillian Meredith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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He has also been Leader of the Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party since 1998, and is Samoa's longest serving head of government.[2]
Tuila'epa was permanently suspended from the legislative assembly on 24 May 2022 for breach of parliamentary privileges and contempt of parliament.[3] He later described his suspension as a "witch hunt".[4]
Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi Media
Tuilaʻepa with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the 3rd UN Small Islands Developing States conference, August 2014
Tuilaʻepa and his wife Gillian Muriel Malielegaoi with the Obamas
Notes
References
- ↑ "THE HON TUILA'EPA LUPESOLIAI NEIOTI AIONO SAILELE MALIELEGAOI PRIME MINISTER". Pacific Islands Forum. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ↑ "Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi". Archived from the original on 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2021-05-20 – via samoagovt.ws.
- ↑ "Tuilaepa & Lealailepule suspended indefinitely for contempt of Parliament". Talamua Online. 24 May 2022. https://talamua.com/2022/05/24/tuilaepa-lealailepule-suspended-indefinitely-for-contempt-of-parliament/. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ↑ "Constitutional checks and balances of power in Samoa’s Parliament thrown overboard". Samoa Observer. https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/letters/98479. Retrieved 1 June 2022.