AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Samoans will head to the polls on March 4 in the first national election since a legislative change imposed a requirement for greater representation of women in parliament.
The election will require women to hold at least 10% of parliamentary seats, in line with a law enacted in 2013. The partial democracy of 190,000 people has not had more than five women at any one time in its 49-seat fono, or legislature, since independence in 1962.
