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Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi
Faafisi in 2017
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
In office 18 March 2016 – 9 April 2021
Prime Minister	Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Deputy	Nafoitoa Talaimanu Keti
Preceded by	Laauli Leuatea Polataivao
Succeeded by	Papali’i Li’o Taeu Masipau
In office 1996–2006
Prime Minister	Tofilau Eti Alesana Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Deputy	Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Preceded by	Fatu Vaili Afamasaga
Succeeded by	Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Minister of Police and Prisons
In office 24 April 2006 – 21 March 2011
Preceded by	Ulu Vaomalo Kini
Succeeded by	Sala Fata Pinati
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
In office 1991–1996
Preceded by	Tuilagi Vavae
Member of the Samoan Parliament for A'ana Alofi No. 1 West
In office 5 April 1991 – 9 April 2021
Preceded by	Leaupepe Uili
Succeeded by	Aiono Afaese Toleafoa
Personal details
Born	Leaupepe Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi circa 1947
Political party	Samoan National Development Party Human Rights Protection Party

Leaupepe Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi (born c.1947) is a Samoan politician. He has served as a Cabinet Minister and as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP).

Faafisi was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 1991 Samoan general election as a candidate for the Samoan National Development Party. He switched allegiance to the HRPP immediately after the election, and was appointed Deputy Speaker. In 1996 he was appointed Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In 1998 he was hospitalised while attending the Commonwealth Speakers and Clerks Conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Following his re-election in 2001, he was appointed to the role for a second term.

He was re-elected at the 2006 election and appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Police. He was not reappointed to Cabinet in 2011. In 2013 he advocated exporting dog meat to China as a measure for controlling stray animals.

In 2016, he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for a third term. As Speaker he oversaw the redevelopment of the new Parliament building. As Speaker, he was accused of lacking independence, of removing Members' speeches from Hansard, and of taking direction in the House from Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi. in November 2020, he declared the seats of independent opposition MPs Olo Fiti Vaai and Faumuina Asi Pauli Wayne Fong vacant after they announced they would be standing as candidates for the F.A.S.T. party at the 2021 election. On 14 December 2020 the decision was declared unlawful and invalid by the Supreme Court of Samoa.

Faafisi retired at the April 2021 election. He was succeeded as MP in his electorate (now renamed Aana Alofi No. 2) by his son, Aiono Afaese Toleafoa.

On 23 May 2021, during the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis, Faafisi purported to cancel the first meeting of the new legislative assembly, in violation of an order from the Supreme Court.

References

1. ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (10 July 2020). "Speaker to bow out after nearly three decades". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
2. Asofou So'o (1993). Universal Suffrage in Western Samoa: The 1991 General Elections. Australian National University. p. 10.
3. "SAMOA'S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TAKEN ILL IN PORT OF SPAIN". Pacific Islands Report. 22 January 1998. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
4. "SAMOA: ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001". IPU. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
5. "HRPP RECLAIMS CONTROL OF SAMOA GOVERNMENT, TUILAEPA STILL PRIME MINISTER". Pacific Islands Report. 16 March 2001. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
6. "Five new faces in new Samoa cabinet". RNZ. 24 April 2006. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
7. "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
8. "Samoa passes laws to control stray dogs". RNZ. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
9. "Former Samoa deputy PM left out of cabinet". RNZ. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
10. "Redevelopment of Parliament House". Government of Samoa. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
11. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (24 June 2020). "Former Speaker expresses concerns over Parliament debate". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
12. "Independent Speaker an ideal Samoa must strive for". Samoa Observer. 22 June 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
13. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (18 June 2020). "Former Speaker questions accuracy of Parliament hansard". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
14. Soli Wilson (22 November 2020). "Speaker cops criticism over Parliament tension". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
15. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (18 November 2020). "Speaker officially declares seats vacant". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
16. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (14 December 2020). "Olo and Faumuina delighted, ready for Parliament return". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
17. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (15 December 2020). "Let's embrace spirit of Christmas, Speaker welcomes Olo and Faumuina". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
18. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (15 April 2021). "Aiono Afaese Toleafoa carries on father's legacy". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
19. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 May 2021). "Former Speaker calls off parliament meeting". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
20. "Speaker announces no Fono opening tomorrow". Talanei. 22 May 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
21. "Samoa's Speaker disregards Supreme Court ruling". RNZ. 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

• Living people
• Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
• Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
• Human Rights Protection Party politicians
• Government ministers of Samoa
• 1940s births