The FAST party was expected to declare its majority when Parliament met, and announce Samoa's first woman prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa. Photo / FileKEY POINTS: The FAST party which has a majority of seats was locked out of Parliament this morning. The tense meeting follows the Speaker of Parliament's decision to disregard a Supreme Court ruling, which had cleared the way for the Legislative Assembly to convene. The conflicting rulings of the Supreme Court and the Head of State set a quandary for the country, as to which has constitutional primacy. In an extraordinary hearing on Sunday the Supreme Court again overruled the head of state's decision, calling for Parliament to sit today.

Source: New Zealand Herald May 23, 2021 21:02 UTC