Samoa’s parliament will be dissolved on June 3, with a new election to be scheduled at a later date, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa announced on Wednesday.

The prime minister failed to secure enough parliamentary support to approve the budget on Monday. Following this, she informed Samoa’s head of state, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, that dissolving parliament was necessary. The official dissolution notice was signed and published on Wednesday.

Fiame, who was elected in 2021 and is one of the few female leaders in the Pacific region, previously endured a lengthy court challenge when the former leader, who had been in power for 20 years, contested her victory.

Distinct from her predecessor, Fiame expressed caution towards Chinese investments and boosted Samoa’s international presence by hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last year.

In January, she was expelled from her own political party, FAST, amid internal disagreements.