Fiji - December 2022

After a week of tense and uncertain coalition negotiations and worries that the outgoing prime minister would not leave peacefully, the Fijian parliament voted to elect Sitiveni Rabuka prime minister, replacing former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who had taken power in a 2006 coup. Rabuka, who also led two coups in 1987 and was previously elected prime minister in 1992, and his People’s Alliance Party finished with 36 per cent of the vote behind Bainimarama’s FijiFirst party with 42.5 per cent. The People’s Alliance Party secured the support of smaller parties to gain the premiership. The campaign was contested on both socioeconomic issues and concerns over the future of Fijian democratic institutions, specifically the fear of future coups. Observers and media noted numerous irregularities throughout the electoral cycle. Women’s representation declined from 11 of 51 to 6 of 55 seats in parliament, and voter turnout was 68.3 per cent.

Sources: New York Times, Associated Press, Fiji Live, Fiji Times, Reuters