Fiji_First

FijiFirst

FijiFirst

Political party in Fiji

FijiFirst (FF) (Fijian: iMatai ni Viti) is a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama.

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Formation

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.[7] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration.[8]

Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs.[9] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12]

The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints,[13] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party.[14] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014.[15]

2014 election

The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014[16] 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.[17]

2018 election

The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women.[18] 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.[19][20]

2022 election

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.[21] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker,[22] 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.[23]

On March 29, 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama[24]

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.[25][26] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts.[27]

On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party.[28][29]

Electoral history

Parliamentary elections

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References

  1. [1]
    Nand, Edwin. "FijiFirst appoints new party President". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  2. [2]
    Lal, Brij V. (18 November 2014). "In Frank Bainimarama's Shadow: Fiji, Elections and the Future". The Journal of Pacific History. 49 (4). Taylor & Francis: 467. doi:10.1080/00223344.2014.977518. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022.
  3. [3]
    MacWilliam, Scott (2015). "Bonapartism in the South Pacific: The Bainimarama Government in Fiji". researchprofiles.anu.edu.au. Australian National University. p. 6. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021.
  4. [4]
    Ratuva, Steven; Lawson, Stephanie, eds. (March 2016). The people have spoken: The 2014 elections in Fiji (PDF). ANU Press. p. 149. doi:10.22459/TPHS.03.2016. ISBN 978-17604-6001-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2019.
  5. [5]
    Talei, Akosita (20 October 2018). "Fiji to stay secular state: Bainimarama". Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022.
  6. [6]
    Ramesh, Sanjay (December 2015). "Fiji's Electoral Strategies: A Comparative Perspective". Pacific Studies. 38 (3). Brigham Young University–Hawaii: 329. ISBN 978-0-939154-77-7.
  7. [7]
    "'I want a new Fiji' - Fiji Times Online". Archived from the original on 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  8. [8]
    "Fiji's Bainimarama lodges party application - Radio New Zealand News". 5 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  9. [9]
    "Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Fiji First unveiled as Bainimarama's new party name for elections". Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  10. [10]
    "Fiji First registration now weeks away - Radio New Zealand News". 25 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  11. [11]
    "FijiFirst man quits over criminal record". Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  12. [12]
    "I did not have to think twice - Tui Macuata". Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  13. [13]
    "Fiji First Party approval outlined". Radio New Zealand International. 2014-06-02. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  14. [14]
    "Fiji First party registration decried". Radio New Zealand International. 2014-05-31. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  15. [15]
    "Fijian PM's Fiji First party officially registered". Shanghai Daily. 2014-05-30. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  16. [16]
    Swamy, Nasik. "FijiFirst candidates". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  17. [17]
    "2014 Election Results". Fiji Elections Office. Archived from the original on 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  18. [18]
    "Six political parties to contest Fijian elections". RNZ. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  19. [19]
    "2018 General Election: FijiFirst wins and will form next government". The Fiji Times. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  20. [20]
    Talebula Kate (18 November 2018). "2018 General Election: FijiFirst secures 27 seats to form government". Fiji Times. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  21. [21]
    Fijivillage. "Final results out with no party securing more than 50 percent of the total votes in the 2022 general elections". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  22. [22]
    "SODELPA is kingmaker". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  23. [23]
    "Fiji has a new coalition government; Rabuka to be PM". RNZ. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  24. [24]
    "Seruiratu elected Opposition Leader". Fijivillage. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  25. [25]
    "Four Fiji political parties suspended for 30 days over accounts". Fiji Times. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  26. [26]
    "FijiFirst, New Generation Party and All People's Party social media accounts have gone offline". Fiji Village. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  27. [27]
    "FEO lifts suspension of FijiFirst". Fiji Village. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  28. [28]
    Jale Daucakacaka (11 December 2023). "Sayed-Khaiyum resigns as FijiFirst GS". FBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  29. [29]
    "FijiFirst general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigns, launches criticism against government". RNZ. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
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