Head of state calls for second election

Samoa’s head of state has called for a second general election to bring an end to a deadlock in Parliament. The caretaker Human Rights Protection Party and the newcomer FAST party have been tied on 26 seats each since last month’s election. The head of state, Tuimalealiifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, called for the country to go to the polls again on May 21. He told Samoans it was the best way forward to resolve the political stalemate. Tuimalealiifano had met with the leaders of the two parties to announce his intentions. But pre-empting the announcement, FAST leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said: ‘‘I was taken aback by such proposed action by the head of state, who then asked me to respond to his proposed actions by this afternoon.’’