Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II

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His Highness Tuimalealiʻifano

Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II
Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II Feb 2018 (cropped).jpg
Sualauvi II in 2018
O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa
Assumed office
21 July 2017
Prime MinisterTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
DeputyLe Mamea Ropati
Preceded byTui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi
Personal details
Born
Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Eti Sualauvi II

(1947-04-29) 29 April 1947 (age 74)
Western Samoa
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)Masiofo Faʻamausili Leinafo
Alma materAustralian National University
Malua Theological College

Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Eti Sualauvi II (born 29 April 1947)[1] is a Samoan politician who is the current O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) of Samoa, in office since 2017. He was appointed to the Tama-a-ʻaiga title of Tuimalealiʻifano in July 1977, one of four paramount titles of Samoa.[2][3]

Biography[]

Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Eti Sualauvi II is a member of the Tuimalealiʻifano family, a cadet branch of the Sā Tupua state dynasty and one of the four paramount titles of Samoa.[4] He is married to Masiofo Faʻamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiʻifano.

He is the great-grandson of one of the Mau movement leaders, Tuimaleali'ifano Fa'aoloi'i Si'ua'ana I, and grand-nephew of the sole Member of the Council of Deputies (1962–1974), Tui Aʻana Tuiaana Tuimaleali'ifano Suatipatipa II.[5]

Early career[]

He worked as a policeman, lawyer and previously was a Samoan Police Chief Inspector and a secondary school teacher. He was a police officer in New Zealand for three years. He also served as a public-defender, public trustee, and barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Samoa. He is an elder deacon and lay preacher for the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in the village of Matautu Falelatai. He has preached sermons in Australia and New Zealand for the Christian Congregational Church of Samoa.

Statesman[]

He was a member of the Council of Deputies to the Head of State from 1993 to 2001 and since 2004.[6] He was sworn in as O le Ao o le Malo on 21 July 2017.[7] In 2019, he hosted the visit of President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[8]

In May 2021, Sualauvi purported to revoke the results of the 2021 election and call new elections.[9][10] The decision was overturned by the Samoa Supreme Court on 17 May 2021.[11][12] Sualauvi then issued a proclamation to prevent the Legislative Assembly of Samoa from meeting, triggering a constitutional crisis.[13]

Education[]

Sualauvi has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the Australian National University and a Certificate and Diploma in Theological Studies from Malua Theological College.

References[]

  1. ^ "Tui A'ana Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II". Government of Samoa. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  2. ^ "New head of state for Samoa". Radio NZ. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, is Samoa's fourth Head of State". Samoa Observer. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. ^ Tuimaleali'ifano, Morgan A. (2006). O tama a 'aiga The politics of succession to Samoa's paramount titles. Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific. ISBN 978-982-02-0377-8. OCLC 494614506.
  5. ^ "Genealogy". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Tui A'ana Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, is Samoa's fourth Head of State". Samoa Observer. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ "New Head of State takes his oath". Samoa Observer. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  8. ^ Mayron, Sapeer. "Head of State greets President Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints" Archived 23 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Samoa Observer, 18 May 2019. Retrieved on 23 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Head of State to call for second election in Samoa; FAST reacts with anger". RNZ. 4 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  10. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (4 May 2021). "H.O.S. declares April election void". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  11. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (17 May 2021). "Court overrules fresh elections". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Samoa court dismisses call for second election". RNZ. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  13. ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (22 May 2021). "Head of State suspends Parliament". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021. Samoa has been thrown into a constitutional crisis

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by
Malietoa Tanumafili II 		O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa
Acting
2007
Served alongside: Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi 		Succeeded by
Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi
Preceded by
Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi 		O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa
2017–present 		Incumbent
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Tuiaana Tuimaleali'ifano Suatipatipa II 		Tuimalealiʻifano
1977–present 		Incumbent
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