Staff Reporters/
Apia, Samoa – 09 September 2025 – Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has posted a congratulatory message to Samoa’s Prime Minister-elect Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt.
“Congratulations Laaulialemalietoa Polativao Schmidt on your election as Prime Minister of Samoa,” he said.
“Australia and Samoa are close friends, I look forward to working together for our region’s future.
After a phone conversation last Saturday afternoon, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxton posted, “Congratulations Prime Minister-elect Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt for your success in Samoa’s election.
“It was great to talk this afternoon about our countries’ enduring friendship.
“I look forward to working together to build a more secure and prosperous Pacific region.”
The congratulatory messages come as neither the caretaker Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa nor the Opposition and HRPP leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi have conceded or acknowledged the election results and Laauli as the Prime Minister-elect.
Third generation taking over
Laaulialemalietoa who led the Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) to a decisive win in last week’s national elections, is the first of the third generation of a family steeped in Samoan politics dating to pre-independence Samoa.
He first entered Parliament in 2006 representing the Gagaifomauga 3 constituency that had been held by his late father, Polataivao Fosi Schmidt for 35 years who stepped down due to health reasons.
Polataivao Fosi was a founding member of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) and Laauli entered parliament representing HRPP and became Parliament Speaker from 2011 to 2016.
He was appointed Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries in 2016 but resigned when faced criminal charges which he were later cleared and rising tensions within the party saw him resign from parliament in 2020. He formed the FAST political party and after a by-election, he returned to Parliament as the party’s founding Member of Parliament.
Laauli’s exceptional organisational and communication skills resulted in FAST party’s solid build up for the 2021 general elections, and drew the support of longtime HRPP MPs like Fiame Naomi Mataafa who only joined when FAST emerged with 26 seats to form a government in 2021.
FAST had broken HRPP’s 38 years dominance and Tuilaepa’s 22 rule as Prime Minister.
After giving the honour to have Fiame instituted as the country’s very first woman Prime Minister in 2021, a shift in the FAST government’s direction under her leadership resulted in the split within the party in January 2025.
After months of political tensions, two votes on confidence, Fiame’s led minority government finally fell when its budget was rejected in May 2025, resulting in the dissolution of parliament 3 June and an early election in 29 August 2025.
Fiame’s minority government suffered the highest casualties with 10 cabinet ministers losing their seats. HRPP lost four more seats from 18 in the last parliament to 14 seats this time.
In acknowledging his victory on election night, Laauli said “Democracy has prevailed and won once again! The Samoan people have spoken and expressed their choice of our political leaders and party to lead our beautiful country in the next five years.”
The final election results have been endorsed by the Head of State’s warrant last Friday confirming 30 seats to FAST, 14 HRPP, SUP 3, Independents 4.
Neither the caretaker Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa nor Opposition and HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi have conceded or conveyed their acknowledgement of the results and Laauli as the Prime Minister-elect.
