Tautua Samoa Party - 2011 Election

2011 Election

In September 2010 the party announced that it had made an agreement with the Samoa Party and is negotiating with the People's Party for the latter to run their candidates under the Tautua banner. Shortly thereafter, the leader of the Samoa Party, Feo Nemaia Esau, announced that his party had disbanded and merged into the Tautua Samoa Party. He explained that the merger would form a more "united opposition" to the ruling Human Rights Protection Party.

Also in September 2010, founding member Mulipola Oliva asked to run as an HRPP candidate.

In November, the party announced that it had reached an agreement with the United Samoa People's Party and several independent politicians to form an organisation, Tumua'i Tutusa, to campaign together for the election. The new group's chairman, Afualo Dr. Wood Salele, stated that the organisation would seek divine intervention, notably through a week of fasting and praying, to defeat the Human Rights Protection Party in the upcoming election. In December, party president Papalii Tavita Moala resigned unexpectedly, and Afualo Dr. Woods Salele was chosen for the presidency in his place.

In February 2011 at least three Tautua candidates were prevented from standing after village mayors refused to sign their nomination forms.

Tautua Samoa Party President Va'aelua Eti Alesana, who was elected in February 2011, died on 4 October 2011. On 11 November, Leatinu’u Salote Lesa became the party's president - the first woman to lead a political party in Samoa.