What is happening in Fiji ?

 

Why Fiji in News?

The Political situation in Fiji recently has heated up because of the result of the general elections held on 14th December. The Fiji First Party of Bainimarama won a plurality, securing 26 seats out of the 55-member parliamentary seats. The main opposition party 'The people Alliance' led by Sitiveni Rabuka secured 21 seats. 

All these things further led to a creation of a Hung Assembly in Fiji.

In a parliamentary vote on December 24,  leader Sitiveni Rabuka was elected the new Prime Minister by a slim majority of one.

Geography of Fiji

Located 1,770 km to New Zealand's north, Fiji is an archipelago of 522 islets and 322 volcanic islands in the South Pacific. Over 100 of the country’s islands are permanently populated, with Viti Levu encompassing approximately 57% of Fiji's land mass.
About 3/4 of Fijians live in its capital Suva

Covered in dense tropical rainforests, the islands feature mountainous terrain with heavy annual rainfall frequent to the south-eastern side.

 The lowlands of the western coast are sheltered by mountainous peaks and experience a dry season perfect for local sugarcane crops.

Timber, Fish, Gold, copper and Hydro Power sustain its natural base.

Back to the current Crisis

Which party got what?

The Indo-Fijian community-based National Federation Party (NFP) led by former Economics Professor Bimal Prasad, won five seats. The staunchly Christian Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), which bagged second place in the 2018 election, retained three seats. Both these parties played decisive

role in forming the Govt.

With SODELPA siding with PA and NFP, Rabuka secured the premiership by 28 to 27 votes in the parliamentary vote. Under the deal, SODELPA is expected to get the ministerial portfolios of Indigenous Affairs, Health and Education, which were the central planks of their election platform.

Electoral System in Fiji

Fiji’s unique electoral system introduced under the 2013 constitution adopted by the Bainimarama government elects Fiji’s 55-member parliament from a single nationwide constituency by open-list proportional representation with an electoral threshold of 5 per cent for any party to be represented in parliament.

Call out for Military

The outgoing Bainimarama government’s call for the army to come out to the streets to maintain law and order is connected to this claim.

Fiji has a history of ethnic clashes, but the opposition says there is no law-and-order problem and that Mr Bainimarama is trying to cling on to power. Any attempt to sabotage the election results will destabilise the country internally

Way Forward

Fiji, which has a history of ethnic violence and various coups should work on deliberation to destabilize the political crisis.