APIA, Samoa – August 2025: On August 29, Samoans will cast their votes in a snap general election, a contest that has become a referendum on the country’s ability to navigate overlapping crises. A collapse of Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa’s government earlier this year set the stage for the early vote, but it is the rolling blackouts, soaring electricity prices, and deepening sense of economic vulnerability that now dominate the political conversation.
Energy Crisis Defines the Campaign
For months, Samoa has endured persistent power outages caused by a combination of aging infrastructure, damaged transmission lines, and heavy reliance on imported fuel. Entire neighborhoods have been left in darkness for days, forcing businesses to shut their doors, hospitals to ration services, and families to spend their evenings by candlelight. The government declared a state of emergency and promised relief, but many citizens remain unconvinced that the crisis will be resolved quickly.
The rising cost of electricity has compounded frustrations, leaving households and small businesses struggling to stay afloat. The crisis has transformed energy reliability from a technical problem into the defining political issue of the campaign.
A Former Prime Minister Seeks Return
The turmoil has provided an opening for former Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi and his Human Rights Protection Party, which governed Samoa for nearly four decades before 2021. Drawing on his long tenure, Tuilaʻepa has cast himself as a steady hand capable of restoring stability and addressing the country’s infrastructure needs. His party has focused heavily on promises to strengthen energy systems, rebuild trust in government institutions, and stimulate economic growth.
Prime Minister Mataʻafa, Samoa’s first female leader, now heads the newly formed Samoa Uniting Party after a split within her governing coalition. She has pledged tax relief, free education, and reforms to lower electricity costs, but her credibility has been weakened by the blackouts. Adding to the uncertainty, the original FAST party has re-emerged under its founding leader, creating a three-way contest that could reshape Samoa’s political landscape.
Climate and Economic Strains
While energy dominates, the election is also unfolding against a backdrop of climate vulnerability. Rising seas and stronger storms are steadily encroaching on coastal communities and threatening traditional livelihoods. Agriculture, once a reliable source of income and food security, has suffered from erratic weather and saltwater intrusion.
Tourism, another pillar of the economy, has yet to fully recover from the pandemic and has been further damaged by the power crisis, with hotels and resorts struggling to keep lights and air conditioning running. The broader economy remains fragile, and many voters say they want leadership that can both stabilize today’s challenges and prepare the nation for the mounting pressures of tomorrow.
Social Priorities
Beyond climate and energy, voters are also looking to the candidates for answers on health care and education. Rural health centers remain under-resourced, while young people face limited opportunities at home, contributing to high levels of migration abroad. The election has therefore become not just about infrastructure, but about the quality of daily life in one of the Pacific’s most vulnerable nations.
What Comes Next
For Samoa, the election represents more than a change of government. It is a test of whether the nation can chart a path forward that strengthens basic services, addresses the urgent energy crisis, and builds long-term resilience in the face of climate change. The decision might come down to a simple but pressing question: Who can keep the lights on, and who can guide Samoa toward a more secure future?
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