General elections were held in Samoa on 4 March 2011, to determine the composition of the 15th Parliament. Two parties contested the election, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which had been in power since 1982, led by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and the newly founded Tautua Samoa Party (TSP) led by Va'ai Papu Vailupe, which several minor parties had merged into. The election occurred following amendments to the electoral act in 2009, including the introduction of the Monotoga law, a requirement for aspiring candidates to dedicate traditional village service and commitments. As a result, three TSP aspiring candidates, including a challenger for the prime minister's seat, were disqualified by the Supreme Court for failing to satisfy this law. The HRPP won re-election with a simple majority of 29 seats, while three cabinet ministers were unseated. The TSP secured 13 seats and independents won seven. Only two of the seven female candidates were successful. Following the election, all the independents joined the HRPP, handing the party a two-thirds majority with 36 seats. Several successful candidates were later stripped of their seats by the Supreme Court due to electoral petitions, which included the TSP leader. As a result, the TSP replaced Va'ai Papu Vailupe with deputy leader Palusalue Faapo II. Background During the previous general election held in 2006, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party won a landslide victory, winning 33 seats. The opposition Samoan Democratic United Party (SDUP) secured ten seats, and independents won the remaining six. The SDUP later lost one seat due to an electoral petition. Later that year, in August 2006, the SDUP removed its leader Le Mamea Ropati and replaced him with deputy leader Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai. The SDUP then fragmented and led to the departure of two MPs from the party, including Le Mamea Ropati. As a result, the SDUP’s recognition as a parliamentary party ceased because it fell below the eight-seat threshold, and the parliament classified the party's remaining MPs as independents. On 11 May 2007, long-serving O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II died. Parliament unanimously voted for Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi, a member of the council of deputies, former prime minister and son of former co-head of state Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole, to succeed Malietoa. In September 2009, the government switched the country from right to left-hand driving to enable less costly vehicle imports