Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Samoan economist and politician, 8th Prime Minister of Samoa
Susuga Tuila'epa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sa'ilele Malielegaoi (born 14 April 1945) is a Samoan politician and economist who served as the sixth prime minister of Samoa from 1998 to 2021. Tuila’epa is Samoa's longest serving prime minister and is currently the Leader of the Opposition. Since 1998, he has led the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). Tuila'epa first entered parliament in 1981 when he won a by-election to represent the electorate of Lepā. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the government of Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana, and also held the portfolios of Tourism and Trade, Commerce & Industry.Tuila’epa lost his majority in the 2021 election but refused to leave office, leading to the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis. The crisis was resolved by Samoa's Court of Appeal on 23 July 2021, which ruled that Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa had been prime minister since 24 May. On 26 July, Tuila'epa conceded defeat and assumed the role of opposition leader the following day.