FijiFirst | |
---|---|
Leader | Inia Seruiratu |
President | Tema Varo [1] |
Secretary-General | Faiyaz Koya (acting) |
Founded | 31 March 2014 |
Registered | 30 May 2014 |
Headquarters | 96 Brown Street, Suva |
Youth wing | FijiFirst Youth |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre |
Colours | Light blue |
Slogan | The best future for all Fijians |
Parliament of Fiji | 26 / 55 |
Website | |
fijifirst | |
| ||
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2006–2022 2022–2023 Timeline
General elections | ||
FijiFirst (Fijian : iMatai ni Viti) is a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama.
The party was launched on 31 March 2014 with Bainimarama beginning a nationwide tour of the country in a campaign bus to collect the obligatory 5000 signatures necessary to register a political party. [4] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration. [5]
Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs. [6] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni. [7]
The party appointed former Fiji Labour Party senator Bijai Prasad as one of its Vice Presidents as well as the current Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as the party General secretary. Bijai Prasad resigned as VP a day later citing a criminal conviction for larceny in the 1980s for which he had served jail time. [8] The Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere was also selected as a vice president of the party. Vimlesh Kumar who is an accountant and an affiliate member of CPA Australia is listed as the treasurer. [9]
The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints, [10] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party. [11] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014. [12]
The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014 [13] with Frank Bainimarama heading the list. As a result of the 2014 Fijian general elections, the party won 293,714 votes, 59.2% of all those who voted (495,105 voters), giving the party a clear majority with 32 of the 50 Parliamentary seats. [14]
The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women. [15] FijiFirst won the 2018 general elections with a reduced majority from the 2014 elections. FijiFirst accumulated 227,241 of the votes that resulted on the party gaining 50.02% that allocated to 27 seats enough for the party to govern alone within a slim majority. [16] [17]
Despite remaining the first party in the 2022 election FijiFirst saw its vote share reducing again down to 42.55%, causing the party to lose its majority in the Parliament. [18] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker, [19] and after 6 days of negotiations it decided to support a PAP-led cabinet, effectively ending FijiFirst's eight-year tenure and Bainimarama's 16-year premiership. [20]
On March 29, 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama [21]
On 18 May 2023 the party was suspended and prohibiting from acting as a political party for 30 days for failing to submit annual accounts. [22] [23] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts. [24]
On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party. [25] [26]
Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Frank Bainimarama | 293,714 | 59.17% | 32 / 50 | New | 1st | Government |
2018 | 227,241 | 52.94% | 27 / 51 | 5 | 1st | Government | |
2022 | 200,246 | 42.55% | 26 / 55 | 1 | 1st | Opposition |
Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka is a Fijian politician, former soldier and former sportsman who has served 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.
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.
General elections were held in Fiji on 17 September 2014 to select the 50 members of Parliament. The FijiFirst party, led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, won a landslide victory, winning 32 of the 50 seats. 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.
AdiLitia Qionibaravi is a Fijian chief and former civil servant and member of the Parliament of Fiji. She is a member of the Social Democratic Liberal Party.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is a Fijian politician and a former cabinet minister. He was the Fijian attorney general and the Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications, and also served as the minister responsible for climate change under the FijiFirst government. He is the third-highest polling candidate from the Fijian general elections of 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Roko Tupou Takaiwai Senirewa Draunidalo is a Fijian lawyer and politician. She is a former member of the Parliament of Fiji and from 2018 to 2022 was the president of the HOPE party.
General elections will be held in Fiji by 2026 to elect members of the eighth Parliament under the 2013 constitution.
The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) is a Fijian political party. The party was formed in January 2013 after the dissolution of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua. The party currently has no party leader.
Viliame "Bill" Rogoibulu Gavoka is a Fijian politician and Cabinet Minister. From 28 November 2020 to 2022 he was leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party, after ousting Sitiveni Rabuka in the SODELPA leadership contest.
Mosese Drecala Bulitavu is a Fijian politician and Member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is a member of the FijiFirst party.
General elections were held in Fiji on 14 November 2018. The result was a victory for the ruling FijiFirst party of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, which received just over 50% of the vote and 27 of the 51 seats in Parliament, a loss of five seats. The main opposition party, Social Democratic Liberal Party, gained six seats, whilst the National Federation Party retained its three seats.
Aman Ravindra Singh is a Fijian politician of Indian descent. He is currently the Assistant Secretary of the Fiji Labour Party and an eminent human rights and constitutional lawyer in Fiji. The Fiji Labour Party National Council appointed Singh as their parliamentary leader in preparation for general elections to be taking place in 2019. The Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhary also announced that if Labour Party wins the general elections in 2019, Singh will become the Prime Minister.
Lynda Diseru Tabuya is a Fijian politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation since 24 December 2022.
Premila Kumar is a Fijian consumer advocate, politician and former Cabinet Minister. She served as chief executive of the Consumer Council of Fiji from 2006 to 2018, and then as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Frank Bainimarama from 2018 to 2022. She is a member of the FijiFirst party.
Inia Batikoto Seruiratu is a Fijian politician and member of the Parliament of Fiji for the FijiFirst party. He has been serving as the Opposition Leader since 29 March 2023. He served as the Minister for Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Management from 2020 to 2022, and Minister for Defence, National Security and Policing from 2018 to 2022.
Events of 2020 in Fiji.
RatuWiliame Maivalili Katonivere, CF is a Fijian chief and politician serving as the President of Fiji since 2021. He has been chief of Macuata Province since 2013, succeeding his older brother Aisea Katonivere; he was previously involved in conservation initiatives of Fiji's Great Sea Reef.
General elections were held in Fiji on 14 December 2022 to elect the 55 members of Parliament. The elections took place following the passage of controversial electoral amendments.
The People's Alliance is a political party in Fiji. The party was formed in 2021 by Sitiveni Rabuka who served as Prime Minister of Fiji from 1992 to 1999 and again from December 2022.
The Constitutional Offices Commission is an advisory body that is responsible for providing advice to the President of Fiji for the appointment of key officials within public offices in Fiji.