Samoa’s PM-elect Barred From Parliament, Unable to Take Office

The small Pacific island nation of Samoa was thrown into a constitutional crisis Monday after Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi refused to leave office despite his party losing last month’s parliamentary election. 

Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s party was narrowly defeated by the opposition party led by   Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. Fiame showed up at parliament Monday to form a new government, but she and her supporters were locked out of the building.  The Supreme Court over the weekend ordered Parliament to be in session Monday so Fiame could be seated, but head of state Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II cancelled the session.