RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
The Supreme Court in Samoa has thrown out the electoral office’s decision to appoint an extra woman member of parliament.
It means the decision breaks a month-long deadlock from the April election, handing the newcomer FAST party a majority.
The electoral office last month added the extra seat purportedly to meet a provision in the constitution that 10 percent of seats are reserved for women.
That extra seat fell to the caretaker HRPP government, creating a 26-all deadlock.
But the Supreme Court today returned a unanimous verdict ruling that decision was unconstitutional.
However, this decision was the premise for the head of state’s controversial call for a snap election, scheduled for Friday.
Whether that call was constitutional is to be ruled on this afternoon by the Supreme Court.
