| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 50 seats in the Parliament of Fiji 26 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Registered | 591,101 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 84.60% (3.05pp) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||
---|---|---|
2006–2022 2022–2023 Timeline
General elections | ||
General elections were held in Fiji on 17 September 2014 to select the 50 members of Parliament. [1] [2] [3] The FijiFirst party, led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, won a landslide victory, winning 32 of the 50 seats. [4] The Social Democratic Liberal Party and the National Federation Party were the only other two parties to cross the 5% electoral threshold and win seats. [5]
The elections had originally been scheduled for March 2009, but were delayed because politicians did not agree to the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress. Between 2009 and 2014 several public announcements and requests were made for elections, and on 23 March 2014 the interim government announced the elections would be held on 17 September 2014. The elections were to be held under the new constitution which lowered the voting age to 18 and gave the right of multiple citizenship to Fijians for the first time.
After the Fijian military coup of 5 December 2006, the new interim prime minister Jona Senilagakali announced that elections would take place held "hopefully in 12 months, two years". [6] Later the military regime made it clear that none of the ministers in the interim government would be allowed to contest the elections. [7]
On 6 January 2007 Commodore Frank Bainimarama, the leader of the coup, succeeded Senilagakali as interim Prime Minister. On 29 January 2007, Bainimarama announced that the next election would be around five years away. [8] He informed a visiting regional delegation on 30–31 January that elections would have to wait until a census had been completed, a new voters' roll compiled, and boundaries of electoral districts defined. [9] Meanwhile, interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum suggested using electronic voting to shorten the period of time for counting votes (previously over ten days), and thereby reduce the potential for election rigging. [10]
Later, Bainimarama announced changes to the electoral system that would abolish the race-based constituencies and that elections would take place in 2010. [11] It was later clarified that the interim administration has no mandate for electoral and constitutional reform, as such changes have to go through the parliamentary process; as such, the proposed 2010 election would take place under the current race-based system, but Bainimarama stated he wished the next government to change the electoral system. [12] In mid-June 2007, Bainimarama gave in to demands from the European Union, Australia and New Zealand to hold polls by 28 February 2009; [13] [14] he also requested assistance with election preparations. [15]
The deposed Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, stated he would contest the elections. [16] By contrast, Bainimarama said that he had no intention of taking part in the election. [17]
In March 2008, responding to regional pressure for concrete evidence of his commitment to hold elections in 2009, Bainimarama argued:
In April 2008, Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry stated that it was necessary to complete and implement the People's Charter for Change and Progress before holding any elections. [19] In May, Commodore Bainimarama said that elections would not take place in March 2009 unless politicians agreed to the Charter. [20]
Ousted Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi remarked that the next election would likely be won by "a Fijian-dominated political party" (meaning indigenous-dominated), and asked what the military would do in such a case. [21]
Bainimarama stated that Qarase's Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party would be authorised to take part in the election, but that, if elected, Qarase would have to abide by the People's Charter. He would not be authorised to introduce or re-introduce policies – such as the Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill- which Bainimarama perceived to be racist. Bainimarama warned Qarase publicly that doing so would result in a new coup: "If you do it, I'll remove you." [22] In March 2010, however, Bainimarama stated that "any politician who has played a role in the country's politics, since 1987" would be prevented from standing for election. The rationale was that "Fiji needs new politicians". [23]
The Charter would serve as a guideline in this respect. Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stated that "the People's Charter sets a trend or course for which the people of Fiji should actually assess political parties on and political parties that are essentially try [sic] to contest elections purely based on ethnic politics would not be entertained by the people of Fiji". [24]
Despite his earlier commitment not to run, Bainimarama founded and led the Fiji First party into the election. Mahendra Chaudhry was ruled to be ineligible to stand for election. [25]
In April 2009 the Fijian government announced that elections would take place "by September 2014". Bainimarama reiterated this in July, specifying that the elections would be held under the provisions of a new Constitution, which would eliminate institutionalised ethnic-based voting. The new Constitution might also amend the number of seats in Parliament, and possibly abolish the Senate. [1]
In February 2010 a petition, reportedly supported by 600,000 signatories, requested elections by the end of the year. Commodore Bainimarama responded that an early election would not be "practical and realistic": "The implementation of the fundamental changes and reforms captured in the People's Charter and which are now being implemented under the framework of the Roadmap – this is the only plan – or priority for Fiji. It is a plan that is objective of a better Fiji – where all benefit and not just the elite few – as has been the case previously." He dismissed what he called "irresponsible demands and proposals of selfish individuals and groups that run counter to the Charter and the road-map". [26]
In March 2011 the New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced that New Zealand would lift its travel ban on members of the Fiji administration if the government committed to holding elections in 2014, and allowing "all stakeholders [...] to participate and not only those favoured by the regime". (Until then, New Zealand had insisted on earlier elections. [27] [28] ) Fiji Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola replied that the Fiji government was "committed to ensuring that a good and fair election is conducted" in 2014. [29]
On 30 June 2012 voter registration for the 2014 elections began in Suva. [30] A few days later a Western diplomat confirmed that Fiji was on-schedule for elections in 2014: "It seems fairly clear now that there will be elections of some description in Fiji in 2014. The real question is the extent to which those elections meet minimal international standards for being free and fair. Crucial to answering that question is seeing whether everyone is allowed to compete, and the media and civil society are able to operate in a minimally unimpeded manner." [31]
Finally, on 23 March 2014, the Fiji government announced that the elections would take place on 17 September of that year, a day to be declared a national holiday.
A media blackout on campaign activities ran from Monday to Wednesday, the election day. The ban included newspapers, radio, television, campaign poster and social media posts by any Fijian. [32]
The elections were held using the open list form of party-list proportional representation using the D'Hondt method in one nationwide constituency consisting of 50 seats. [33] There is a threshold of 5% of the vote for a list to gain representation.
Pre-polling for the elections began two weeks prior to the main election date to cater for those unable to travel long distances to cast their vote. It ended on 15 September. A 48-hour blackout period began soon after, during which no media, including print or social, is allowed to print or post any election material which insinuates campaigning. [34]
Almost 590,000 citizens registered to vote in the elections. [35] 57,084 voters were registered to vote in Lautoka at 141 polling stations. [36]
Seven parties registered to contest the elections, with a total of 248 candidates nominated, of which two were independents. [37]
Source | iTaukei | Indo-Fijian | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Lowy Institute | 60% | 75% | 66% |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Pollster(s) | Sample size | Bainimarama | Kepa | Prasad | Anthony | Chaudhry | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiji Sun [38] | 29 March 2014 | 80% | 9% | 0% | — | 4% | 7% |
Fiji Sun [39] | 6 April 2014 | 76% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 17% |
Fiji Sun [40] | 3 May 2014 | 78% | 1% | 8% | — | 2% | 11% |
Fiji Sun [41] | 31 May 2014 | 79% | 6% | 4% | 0% | 1% | — |
Fiji Sun [42] | 14 June 2014 | 82% | 7% | 5% | 1% | 0% | 5% |
Fiji Sun [43] | 12 July 2014 | 79% | 8% | 5% | 2% | 1% | 5% |
Fiji Sun [42] | 19 July 2014 | 84% | 6% | 6% | 1% | 1% | — |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Pollster(s) | Date | FijiFirst | SODELPA | NFP | PDP | Labour | Unsure |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiji Sun [38] | 29 March 2014 | 51% | 5% | 0% | 2% | 4% | 38% |
Fiji Sun [39] | 6 April 2014 | 47% | 5% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 45% |
Fiji Sun [40] | 3 May 2014 | 49% | 2% | 6% | 9% | 2% | 32% |
Fiji Sun [44] | 17 May 2014 | 67% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 2% | — |
Fiji Sun [41] | 31 May 2014 | 68% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 1% | — |
Fiji Sun [42] | 14 June 2014 | 80% | 6% | 6% | 1% | 1% | — |
Fiji Sun [43] | 12 July 2014 | 78% | 8% | 5% | 3% | 1% | 5% |
Fiji Sun [45] | 9 August 2014 | 56% | 17% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 11% |
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FijiFirst | 293,714 | 59.17 | 32 | New | |
Social Democratic Liberal Party | 139,857 | 28.18 | 15 | –21 | |
National Federation Party | 27,066 | 5.45 | 3 | +3 | |
People's Democratic Party | 15,864 | 3.20 | 0 | New | |
Fiji Labour Party | 11,670 | 2.35 | 0 | –31 | |
One Fiji Party | 5,839 | 1.18 | 0 | New | |
Fiji United Freedom Party | 1,072 | 0.22 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 1,282 | 0.26 | 0 | –2 | |
Total | 496,364 | 100.00 | 50 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 496,364 | 99.26 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 3,714 | 0.74 | |||
Total votes | 500,078 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 591,101 | 84.60 | |||
Source: Ratuva & Lawson |
Division | FijiFirst | SODELPA | NFP | PDP | FLP | OFP | FAP | Ind. | Total votes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central | 55.9 | 32.7 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 207,511 |
Eastern | 28.6 | 63.2 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 19,291 |
Northern | 52.3 | 36.2 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 74,233 |
Western | 68.8 | 16.3 | 6.6 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 188,143 |
Postal votes | 54.7 | 32.7 | 7.3 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 7,186 |
Fiji | 59.2 | 28.2 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 496,364 |
Source: 2014 General Election Report |
The election was endorsed as "credible" by international observers, including by Australia, Indonesia [46] and New Zealand. Some shortcomings were however noted, such as a restrictive media framework which limited Fijian journalists' ability to "examine rigorously the claims of candidates and parties", a short timeframe for the election and a complex voting system. [47] Leaders of several of the opposition parties protested the result, claiming ballot tampering. [48]
The politics of Fiji take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic. Fiji has a multiparty system with the Prime Minister of Fiji as head of government. The executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Fiji. The judiciary is mostly independent of the executive and the legislature.
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party. Following a historic election in which he defeated the long-time former leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, the former trade union leader became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister on 19 May 1999, but exactly one year later, on 19 May 2000 he and most of his Cabinet were taken hostage by coup leader George Speight, in the Fiji coup of 2000. Unable to exercise his duties, he and his ministers were sacked by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara on 27 May; Mara intended to assume emergency powers himself but was himself deposed by the military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
Laisenia Qarase was a Fijian politician. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment as Prime Minister on 4 July. He won two parliamentary elections, but a military coup removed him from power on 5 December 2006. He was later imprisoned on corruption charges brought by the military-backed regime.
The Fiji Labour Party, also known as Fiji Labour, is a political party in Fiji. Most of its support is from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. The party has been elected to power twice, with Timoci Bavadra and Mahendra Chaudhry becoming prime minister in 1987 and 1999 respectively. On both occasions, the resulting government was rapidly overthrown by a coup.
Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka is a Fijian politician, sportsman, and former soldier who has been serving as Prime Minister of Fiji since 24 December 2022. He was the instigator of two military coups in 1987. He was democratically elected as Prime Minister of Fiji, serving from 1992 to 1999, and again in 2022, leading a three-party coalition. He also served as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs from 1999 to 2001, and later as Chairman of the Cakaudrove Provincial Council from 2001 to 2008.
Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama is a Fijian former politician and naval officer who served as the prime minister of Fiji from 2007 until 2022. A member of the FijiFirst party, which he founded in 2014, he began his career as an officer in the Fijian navy and commander of the Fijian military. Despite being suspended from Parliament, he served as the opposition leader from 24 December 2022 until 8 March 2023, when he resigned and was replaced by Inia Seruiratu.
General elections were held in Fiji in August and September 2001. The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party won 18 of the 23 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians and one of three "general electorates" set aside for Fiji's European, Chinese, and other minorities. It also won 13 of the 25 "open electorates," so-called because they are open to candidates of any race and are elected by universal suffrage. The remaining five ethnic Fijian seats, and one open electorate, were won by the Conservative Alliance, one of whom was George Speight who had led the putsch against the lawful government the year before. Chaudhry's Labour Party won all 19 Indo-Fijian seats and eight open electorates. The New Labour Unity Party, formed by defectors from the FLP, won one general electorate and one open electorate. The three remaining seats were won by minor parties and independent candidates.
The Fiji coup d'état of 2000 was a civilian coup d'état by hardline i-Taukei nationalists against the elected government of an Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry on 19 May 2000. This was followed by an attempt on 27 May by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority, and then by a military coup on 29 May by Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
RoTeimumu Vuikaba Kepa is a Fijian chief, former Member of the Parliament of Fiji, and former leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party. She was the first Fijian woman to serve as Leader of the Opposition. She previously held the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Qarase-led Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) government from 2001 to 2006. As the paramount chief of the Burebasaga Confederacy, she holds the title Roko Tui Dreketi.
Since attaining independence from the United Kingdom on 10 October 1970, Fijian history has been marked by exponential economic growth up to 1987, followed by relative stagnation, caused to a large extent by political instability following two military coups in 1987 and a civilian putsch in 2000. This was followed by another military coup in 2006. Rivalry between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians, rather than ideological differences, have been the most visible cleavage of Fijian politics. Later in 2020, Fiji was hit by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the economy and the daily lives of the people.
Poseci Waqalevu Bune was a Fijian civil servant, diplomat, politician and Cabinet Minister. He served as chair of the Public Service Commissioner, secretary to the Prime Minister, and as Fiji's permanent representative to the United Nations, as well as a Cabinet Minister in the governments of Mahendra Chaudhry and Laisenia Qarase, and in the military regime of Frank Bainimarama. Bune died of prostate cancer on 22 November 2023, at the age of 77.
Rose Lavenia Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, born July 5, 1951, as Lavenia Bernadette Rounds, is a Fijian writer, broadcaster, and politician, who served as Minister for Labour, Minister for Tourism, Industrial Relations, Productivity and Environment in the interim Cabinet of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, having been appointed on 9 January 2007. In previous political roles, she served in 2000 and 2001 in the Interim Government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase as Assistant Minister for Social Welfare, and from June to December 2006, she was Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives, until the military coup of 5 December.
Mick Malcolm Millis Beddoes, widely known as Mick Beddoes, is a Fijian politician and businessman from Nadi, who led the United Peoples Party from 2000 to 2013, and was the Leader of the Opposition at the time of the military coup of 5 December 2006. He was also the Chief Executive of the World Netball Company, and was Chairman of the organising committee for the 2007 World Netball Championships, but announced his resignation on 24 January 2006, citing a possible conflict of interest, as his company would be working as a ground operator during the championships.
General elections were held in Fiji between 6 and 13 May 2006.
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 was a coup d'état in Fiji carried out by Commodore Frank Bainimarama against Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and President Josefa Iloilo. It was the culmination of a political crisis that had begun the previous year when the Qarase government introduced three bills to the Fijian Parliament. The Qoliqoli, Land Tribunal, and Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bills dealt with the ongoing ethnic conflicts in Fiji and the aftermath of the 2000 coup, and were considered to be pro-ethnic Fijian. Bainimarama, the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), presented the government with a list of demands on October 16 that included withdrawing the bills. Attempts at negotiation failed and the military launched a coup on 4 December. Parliament was dissolved, Qarase and his cabinet were dismissed, and some civilian officials were placed under house arrest. After the Great Council of Chiefs refused to appoint a cabinet friendly to the military, Bainimarama reached an understanding with Iloilo and reinstated him as president on 4 January 2007. Iloilo then appointed Bainimarama acting prime minister in charge of the Interim Cabinet.
The People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress was a proposed legal document which would have complemented the 1997 Constitution of Fiji. It would have established compulsory guidelines for any government policy in Fiji over the coming years. The People's Charter was due to be completed and come into force prior to the scheduled 2014 general election.
The bilateral relations between the Fiji and the United States have improved significantly since Fiji's elections in September 2014, which restored a democratically elected government to Fiji for the first time since 2006. The United States had opposed Fiji's unelected government, which came to power through a military coup in December 2006.
In April 2009, Fiji underwent a constitutional crisis when the Court of Appeal ruled that the 2006 Fijian coup d'état had been illegal. The Court dismissed the Interim Cabinet led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama that had governed Fiji since the coup. However, President Josefa Iloilo announced on a nationwide radio broadcast that he was abrogating the Constitution. He dismissed all judges and constitutional appointees, and reinstated Bainimarama and his cabinet. He also instituted emergency rule which increased police powers and allowed media censorship.
RatuJosefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, was a Fijian politician who served as the 3rd President of Fiji from 2000 until 2009, excluding a brief period from 5 December 2006 to 4 January 2007. He held the traditional title of Tui Vuda, the paramount chief of the Vuda district in Ba Province on Fiji's northwest coast. Like many Fijian people, he rarely used his surname and was known simply as Josefa Iloilo. He announced on 28 July 2009 that he would be leaving office on 30 July. At the age of 88, he was the world's oldest head of state.