Constitution of Samoa

The Constitution of Samoa took effect on 1 January 1962, when the country gained independence, establishing Samoa as a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of responsible government under executive, legislative and judicial branches. The constitution is the supreme law, and any inconsistent legislation is void. It originally restricted voting rights to matai, the country's chiefly titleholders, rather than extending universal suffrage to the whole population, and it provided for two paramount chiefs, Tupua Tamasese Meaole and Malietoa Tanumafili II, to jointly serve as head of state for life, with the legislature choosing their successors. The constitution has been amended frequently, including a 2017 change to Article 1 declaring Samoa a Christian nation founded on God.