Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi

Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi (born 14 April 1945)^[1] is a Samoan politician. He was the Prime Minister of Samoa from 1998 until 2021. He became Opposition Leader in 2021 after refusing to say that he lost the 2021 election, causing the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis.

The Honourable Susuga Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Tuila'epa in 2018
6th Prime Minister of Samoa
In office 23 November 1998 – 24 May 2021[a]
O le Ao o le Malo	Malietoa Tanumafili II Tupua Tamasese Efi Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II
Deputy	Misa Telefoni Retzlaff Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded by	Tofilau Eti Alesana
Succeeded by	Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 July 2021
Prime Minister	Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded by	Palusalue Faʻapo II (2016)
Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 November 1998
Deputy	Misa Telefoni Retzlaff Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded by	Tofilau Eti Alesana
Other offices held Minister of Foreign Affairs In office 23 November 1998 – 24 May 2021 Preceded by Tofilau Eti Alesana Succeeded by Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Minister of Natural Resources and Environment In office 11 September 2020 – 24 May 2021 Preceded by Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa Succeeded by Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa In office 15 May 1991 – 23 November 1998 Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana Preceded by Tupua Tamasese Efi Succeeded by Misa Telefoni Retzlaff (2001)
Member of the Samoan Parliament for Lepā
Incumbent
Assumed office May 1981
Preceded by	Fatialofa Momo'e
Personal details
Born	Sa'ilele Malielegaoi (1945-04-14) 14 April 1945 (age 80) Lepā, Western Samoa Trust Territory (now Samoa)
Political party	Human Rights Protection Party
Spouse(s)	Gillian Meredith
Children	8
Alma mater	University of Auckland
Sports career
Medal record Archery Representing  Samoa South Pacific Games 2007 Apia Mixed team recurve

He has also been Leader of the Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party since 1998, and is Samoa's longest serving head of government.^[2]

Tuila'epa was permanently suspended from the legislative assembly on 24 May 2022 for breach of parliamentary privileges and contempt of parliament.^[3] He later described his suspension as a "witch hunt".^[4]

Notes

1. Disputed: 24 May 2021 – 23 July 2021. The Supreme Court ruled on 23 July that Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa's FAST government had been legitimate since 24 May. Tuila'epa's HRPP government did not relinquish power until 27 July.