Who is Samoa's new prime minister, Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Fosi Schmidt?

Lauano Aukuso Ah Ching sees the divine at work in the landslide election win that brought Samoa's new prime minister to power.

He gets emotional as he describes Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Fosi Schmidt's victory, or, as he describes it: "Our people's choice".

"I thank Laaulialemalietoa for seeking the Lord in his own way, driven by his deep love for Samoa, his country."

Lauano is among thousands of fervent supporters, a troop of passionate devotees — many from rural areas and Samoa's large diaspora — who helped sweep Laaulialemalietoa to power in last month's national election.

Many of them echo Lauano, saying that Laaulialemalietoa represents them — people who feel abandoned by the Pacific nation's political system.

They also say the new prime minister was chosen by God to lead the country.

With his supporters' belief of this divine intervention, Laaulialemalietoa's rise to power — powered by fervent supporters and defying criminal charges — has even drawn comparisons to Donald Trump's sweeping return to the White House.

The 59-year-old Laaulialemalietoa has long put religious belief at the centre of his politics.

"He's very, very much devoted to the Christian faith," Samoan journalist and scholar Lagipoiva Dr Cherelle Jackson told the ABC.

"A lot of his popularity is due to the fact that he uses [it] as a way to reach the public."

'Samoa stands with Israel'

In Samoa, religion runs deep. The country is home to more than 400 churches, and 90 per cent of its 220,000 people regularly attend church.

Often, there is little separation of church and state.

Laaulialemalietoa founded and leads the FAST Party, or Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi, which translates to "Samoa united in faith".

And this fusion of religion and state was highlighted at his inauguration ceremony last week.

Wearing a Jewish prayer shawl and a prominent cross — and flanked by a large picture of Jesus — Laaulialemalietoa, a talented and passionate orator, spoke about "a new chapter in [Samoa's] political journey".

"Bless our nation, from the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Samoa," he said.

"Let us work together hand in hand to build a stronger Samoa, in united peace and harmony."

Laaulialemalietoa took it further the next day when, at a press conference, he affirmed that Samoa "stood with Israel".

"If people around the world don't like it, that's up to them, but Samoa stands with the land of God," he said.

"Our foundational faith is that Samoa is founded on God, that is our belief, that our forefathers established.

Samoa's previous prime ministers have also been devout Christians.

But according to Nanai Dr Iati Iati, a Victoria University of Wellington expert in Samoan politics, Laaulialemalietoa has entered new territory by linking the Christian principles enshrined in Samoa's constitution to Judaeo-Christian heritage and Israel.

"It resonates with a lot of his voters," Nanai said.

"At the same time, they're from different [Christian] denominations, so they may not all be in agreement with some of his religious views."

A pending court case

Despite his devoted following, Samoans who are more sceptical of Laaulialemalietoa question his motives and leadership style.

One of his first decisions in government, to appoint himself police minister while facing criminal charges, has raised some trepidation.

Laaulialemalietoa's charges include harassment using electronic means, defamation, and conspiring or attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He denies the allegations and will next appear in court in October.

Lagipoiva said his role as police minister had raised concern among legal experts.

"Only time will tell what direction he will head in terms of those charges," she said.

The ABC approached Laaulialemalietoa's office for comment.

At his press conference last week, he restated his innocence and sought to dispel fears he would use his role to make his charges disappear.

"Take it from me today, the court will take its course," he said.

"And time will come to reveal the truth in regard to the matters currently before court … let the matters proceed before court.

Samoan media is also watching his interactions with journalists to see how he will approach media freedom.

While Laaulialemalietoa has promised to engage with news outlets, he said they would be barred from press conferences for "untruthful" reporting.

Nanai said the new prime minister might be more inclined to communicate through social media, where he had marketed himself as a "man of the people" and built his following.

"I'm not sure if mainstream media would be his main go-to," he said.

"[Governments in] Samoa historically have often had a challenging relationship with the media.

"[Samoa's media] does a fairly good job of holding the government to account.

"I don't think that will change and I've not seen any indication he's going to change that."

A second chance?

On the Trump comparisons, observers say there are limits to the parallel with Laaulialemalietoa, pointing to Samoa's distinct political landscape.

Lagipoiva said Laaulialemalietoa's political success was built largely on his connection with voters in rural areas, which was his clearest parallel to Donald Trump.

"For a long time [rural communities] felt neglected by the leaders in Samoa," she said.

"[Laaulialemalietoa] forming FAST had given them a voice once again."

Laaulialemalietoa, who was the agriculture minister and a speaker of parliament during former prime minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's government, has stood out among politicians for his prolific online presence.

His oratory — both online and in large, energetic election rallies — attracted supporters.

"He speaks with respect and humility through the Samoan language," Lauano, the FAST party supporter, said.

FAST clinched a historic election win in 2021 on a promise to build services for rural communities, and it installed Fiame Naomi Mata'afa as Samoa's first female prime minister.

But a spectacular unravelling of Laaulialemalietoa's partnership with Fiame, after he refused to resign from her ministry while facing his charges, brought on the election in August.

Laaulialemalietoa's charges and his role in the recent turmoil appear not to have harmed his standing with voters.

FAST expanded its majority in the parliament, winning 31 of its 51 seats at the election.

Nanai said voters appeared to have given FAST another chance to follow through on its promises in 2021, after it was sidetracked by the political turbulence.

"I suspect that a lot of the voters that support FAST felt that the government … had not been given the opportunity to roll out its policies."

On Sunday, Laaulialemalietoa made a surprise trip to New Zealand to treat a leg injury.

On one hand, it was a reminder of the government's first task ahead — passing the budget. After months of political turmoil, Samoa is in a dire financial position.

Despite legally being able to hop on a government-funded flight, the prime minister instead paid from his own pocket.

Simply put, he said, the country did not have enough money.

But the medical flight also highlighted the committed support of his followers, who showered him with get-well messages after he posted a video from the hospital.

Nanai said, overall, there was also work to do if the government was to deliver on promises to develop agriculture in rural areas and lead the country as he promised.

With his former colleague Fiame at the helm until now, Samoans were yet to see how Laaulialemalietoa would lead.

"This will give us a clearer picture," Nanai said.

Editor's note, 29-9-2025: In a previous version, the story referenced an 'Israeli prayer shawl' worn by Laaulialemalietoa. This description was incorrect. It is a  'Jewish prayer shawl'. The story has been updated to correct this error.