Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, the Prime Minister of Samoa, has lived a life full of historic "firsts." She is the country's first female Prime Minister, defeating the incumbent leader who had governed Samoa for 22 years. Prior to that, she also served as the country's first female Cabinet Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, solidifying her position as a pioneer. Her father was Samoa's first Prime Minister, marking her as a member of a political dynasty, further enhancing her legacy.
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03-12, 2025Now, she has achieved another new "first": Fiame has become the first Samoan Prime Minister to be told she should get married so someone can "properly advise" her. During a heated parliamentary session last week, Fiame, who has been Samoa's leader since 2021, faced personal attacks from within her own party. The most shocking of these was the insult directed at her marital status, hurled by MP Fuiono Tenina Crichton, a 74-year-old who had previously been dismissed from his position as Associate Minister by Fiame after he called for her removal, adding fuel to the political fire.
"It would be good if someone could advise you. If you were married, someone could advise you, and your leadership would be excellent," he said. For weeks, opponents within her "Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi" (FAST) party have been trying to oust her, following her dismissal of the party's chairman, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, from his cabinet post. But she secured her second consecutive victory after these party members launched a vote of no confidence. "Everyone thought she was done," political commentator Tauili'ili Christian Malietoa-Brown said. "The fact that she's still standing shows her ability to weather the storm," demonstrating her resilience in the face of adversity.
These personal insults have sparked a new round of debate in Samoa about gender roles in the country and the wider Pacific region, where "macho culture" often dominates. But observers say that Fiame's refusal to engage in these attacks is the secret to her seemingly unlikely continued tenure as Prime Minister last week, as well as her long-term success as a politician. Known as the "Iron Lady of the Pacific," the 67-year-old Fiame is an anomaly in the region. The Pacific region has the lowest proportion of female parliamentarians in the world, and Fiame is only the second female leader of an independent Pacific island nation in history, highlighting her unique position.
But in Samoa, being unmarried and without children is uncommon, especially for someone like Fiame who holds Samoa's highest chiefly title (known as matai). This issue has plagued her leadership since she led her party to victory, pushing the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) into opposition for the first time in 40 years. Now, the gender card has been played outright. Sonia Palmieri, a researcher at the Australian National University and head of the Pacific Affairs department, said that Fiame has maintained a strong support base since she was first elected as a member of parliament forty years ago. "These comments are specifically designed to undermine that strong support," she said. "These actions and words are used to negate the role of women in politics... There are those who constantly try to promote the narrative that politics is really a man's domain," further emphasizing the entrenched biases.
But she says that Fiame is a political force in her own right, being the daughter of a high chief and the country's first Prime Minister, and having fought for her chiefly title after her father's death. "She doesn't need a husband to tell her what she should or shouldn't do," Dr. Palmieri said. The political turmoil began in January when Fiame dismissed the minister of her party's chairman, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, after he refused to resign when facing criminal charges. His supporters then voted to expel her from the FAST party and have been trying to replace her as Prime Minister. Fiame has resisted pressure to resign. She also threatened that if she lost a vote of no confidence, she would advise Samoa's Head of State to dissolve parliament and call early elections, showcasing her determination.
Before last week's vote, the person trying to oust her expressed his true feelings. "There will always be someone better," the Samoa Observer quoted La'auli as saying. "We may think that there is no one qualified or experienced to hold these top positions, but that is not the case. There will always be someone more suited to the job - a person chosen by God." "We won't back down just because she's a woman, or out of our respect for women." Fiame herself did not respond to the taunts, which observers say is nothing new for the Prime Minister. "She's been in parliament for decades, so she's heard it all," Mr. Malietoa-Brown said. "She's found the best solution, which is to say nothing and not give it any nourishment, because she doesn't want to create a side story." "It's a very, very dignified response," demonstrating her composed demeanor.
Fiame comes from chiefly lineage on both sides of her family, which is said to give her confidence in her role in politics. Moreover, observers say, she has never tried to emphasize her gender in her political career. "I find her to be one of the most powerful politicians I've ever seen in the world," Dr. Palmieri said. "She carries a calm reflection, an aura of legitimacy, because she's been in the role for so long." Fiame declined a request for comment from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and has so far not spoken publicly about the comments regarding her marital status. In parliament, Fiame seemed unfazed by La'auli's attacks - which Mr. Malietoa-Brown described as "scorched earth" in their intensity.
La'auli claimed her government was unconstitutional and blamed her for its failures. "Unfortunately, our once united families are now divided by land and sea because of your leadership," he said. But the opposition Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) - led by former long-serving Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi - voted alongside Fiame and her ministers, after their own motion of no confidence against her failed the week before. A day later, Fiame held a rare press conference to talk about the outcome. "The recent decision by parliament clearly indicates that my government has the confidence of parliament to continue to lead the country," she said. "This decision by parliament reflects the will of the people, who are represented by their elected members of parliament," reaffirming her mandate.
Samoa's "game of thrones" is being played out in the public eye. The political turmoil has been a topic of conversation across the country, with the Samoan phrase "fa'agutugutulua" (referring to two-faced behavior) going viral on social media in forums discussing the events. Unlike some past political upheavals in Samoa, much of this has played out online. While the public wants an end to the uncertainty, opinions were divided on the way forward before last week's vote. Some felt Fiame should resign to restore stability, while others praised her decision to stand by her decision to sack La'auli, highlighting the differing viewpoints.
Tamasau Taiupu Fonoti from Salani said she was saddened by the political situation. "I think [Fiame] should resign and let everyone go back to the polls and vote for a new Prime Minister at the same time," she said. Lagi Lotomaualalo, a resident of Apia, said the events had left her confused, but she didn't think La'auli should have resigned as a minister before the charges against him had been proven. "I think La'auli and Fiame should go back to running the government, I know it was internal divisions that caused the split, but it would be good to see them reconcile." Daniel Seni from Apia said Fiame was trying to uphold the rule of law and that La'auli should have resigned as a minister. "That's why we're in such a huge mess right now, because this guy is trying to prioritize his personal interests," reflecting the public's concern.
Mr. Malietoa-Brown expects Fiame to now continue as Prime Minister, having overcome the latest vote of no confidence. For the people, the main concern is the economic fallout from the political instability. "They're not really worried about the game of thrones, house of cards type stuff that's going on," Mr. Malietoa-Brown said. "What most of them are worried about is the cost of living, the huge inflation, and the skyrocketing prices that are showing no sign of coming down," emphasizing the real-world impact of the political drama.
