Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and all Cabinet Ministers will contest the upcoming general elections under the banner of a newly established political party. The Samoa Uniting Party was registered Friday 30 May as an Incorporated Society with MCIL, as well as a formalised Political Party with the Office of the Electoral Commissioner, both organisations have confirmed. Caretaker Minister for Public Enterprises, Leatinuu Wayne Sooialo has confirmed the Prime Minster Fiame Naomi Mataafa, and all 14 Cabinet members, shall be the core candidate-base for Samoa Uniting Party. At a meeting on the party’s founding members, “It was unanimously agreed that all 15 would register with Samoa Uniting,” said Leatinuu. The Party Chair is Sitagata Uatoto Elisara. The secretary is Lilomaiava Florence Sa’aga, who is a long serving member of Women in Business Inc, and the Treasurer is Tapuai Laupua Fiti, who had served on the board of the Samoa Trust Estates Corporation. Close to 30 members of the newly established political party were seen at the Electoral Office on Friday to process the formal registration of the party as well as its membership. The Samoa Uniting Party is expected to start rolling out its list of candidates in the coming weeks. The dissolution of Parliament is officially 3rd June 2025 after which candidates can then confirm their loyalty to a chosen party for the upcoming elections. Some MPs say they would also need to go back to their Constituencies for their blessing. Meantime a list of political parties said to have come from the incorporated societies registry, shows two more political parties were registered with MCIL in the past five weeks. On 24 April 2025, Samoa Tula’i Party is listed as a compliant new registration. Its Interim President is Tevaga Felagolagomai, interim Secretary is Meleseke Petelo and interim Treasurer, Toiaivao Margaret Yoshida. Samoa Tula’is contact person is lawyer Fuimaono Sarona Ponifasio and its location is Traveller’s Point Hotel, Malifa. On 14 May 2025, Samoa Labour Party is listed as a compliant new registration. Its President is former HRPP Minister for Justice and Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, who has made known his intention to contest the seat for his constituency of Vaimauga 4, currently held by Faualo Lefau Harry Schuster. The Secretary for Samoa Labour Party is listed as former HRPP candidate for the 2021 elections, Su’a Tanielu Su’a and Treasurer is former Associate Minister of Justice, Sooalo Mene. The Office of the Electoral Commissioner confirms that neither Samoa Tula’i nor Samoa Labour Party have registered with OEC, however, the due date for registrations has not yet been set and new parties could still register for the upcoming elections. There are five Political Parties currently registered with OEC: HRPP, SNDP, FAST, CDRP and now SUP. The first three have been registered since the 2021 general elections. The CDRP – Constitution Democracy Republic Party registered during the 2023 By-Elections for Vaa-o-Fonoti, Faleata and Siumu when they ran a single candidate. The Head of State had declared Parliament dissolves this week Tuesday 3rd June 2025, which means candidates are able to register under a different party, or declare to be Independent, from that day forward. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has defended his decision to vote against the government’s proposed national budget, insisting there is already sufficient funding available to keep essential services running. The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) leader said the current budget still holds enough funds to support government operations, despite concerns raised about how it will impact ministries. “There is money,” Tuilaepa said. “There are other funds available. When the budget falls, we can still use 25 per cent from the current budget for the financial year. I know there is a lot of money — hundreds of millions — still left.” Tuilaepa criticised the FAST party chairman and Finance Minister Laauli Leuatea Schmidt, suggesting he does not fully understand the financial situation. “We are going into an election, and there is no [money],” he said. “Then we will do our job again, by telling and showing the government what to do. When something is wrong, we will suggest what should be done.” Tuilaepa argued that rejecting the budget will not paralyse government operations and said his party has consistently offered practical advice on issues needing urgent attention, such as the cost of living, fixing the roads and the need for more medicine at the local hospital.