Parliament to deal with motion of no confidence in PM first

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 03 March 2025 – Parliament is now scheduled to deal with the second motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Fiame tomorrow. It will be the second motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister in a week.

This time, the motion is moved by the FAST Party that instituted Fiame as Prime Minister but had informed the Speaker in January that the majority of party MPs have no more confidence in her leadership.

In a ministerial speech in Parliament this morning, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa asked to hold off all Parliamentary matters scheduled for today and for Parliament to deal with the FAST vote of no Confidence against her and Cabinet immediately.

Fiame was only issued with the motion documents yesterday.

She said there is no point for the Government to continue with their work when there is a vote of no confidence hanging before them.

“It is best that we put aside today’s Parliament program and deal with the vote first,” she said.

She also voiced the Cabinet’s disappointment at the Speaker for allowing the FAST motion to go ahead, when Parliament had already ruled on the same motion brought by the Opposition on 25 February 2025.

Fiame also highlighted in her speech the Speaker’s contradictory rights in conducting his duty as Speaker.

Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi agreed with Fiame for Parliament to deal with the motion of no confidence first.

FAST leader Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt supported the Speaker’s decision to leave the motion until after all the remaining Bills are passed. Laauli said that the Prime Minister and Cabinet are moving to protect their interests to stay in power while the country is waiting to pass the crucial legislations they have been promised.

He also acknowledged Tuilaepa and HRPP’s support for their motion.

Tuilaepa took the floor and said HRPP members will walk off Parliament if the motion of no confidence against Cabinet is not dealt with first.

The Speaker then decided to adjourn Parliament until tomorrow where the motion of no confidence will be put to vote.

Last Tuesday, a motion of no confidence moved by the Leader of the Opposition Party was defeated by 34 -16 after it was rejected by the FAST Party MPs.

Speaking before the vote, Laauli gave Fiame an ultimatum to step down before the end of the current session and that the priority is for parliament to pass the legislations such as the constitutional amendment passed last Wednesday, the amendments to the Electoral Act 2019 and the three controversial bills passed in December 2020.