Fiji election of 1992
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Fiji
between 23 and 30 May 1992. It was the first election held since two military coups
in 1987 had severed Fiji's 113-year old constitutional links with the British Monarchy
, and later Fijian Monarchy, and ushered in a republic.
The 1992 elections were the first to be held under the new electoral system, which was deliberately biased in favour of ethnic Fijians
. "National" constituencies, elected by universal suffrage and comprising approximately half of the House of Representatives
under the 1970 constitution, were abolished, and for the first time, all members of the House of Representatives were elected from "communal" constituencies on closed electoral rolls, for registered members of a particular ethnic group. 37 seats were allocated to ethnic Fijians and only 27 to Indo-Fijians, despite the near-equality of their numbers in the population; one seat was reserved for a representative of the Rotuman Islanders
, with five "general electorates" set aside for various minorities including Europeans, Chinese, and Banaban Islanders
.
The Fijian Political Party led by Sitiveni Rabuka
, who had instigated the 1987 coups, won 32 of the 37 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians and Rotuman; the remaining five were won by the extremist Fijian Nationalist Party
of Sakeasi Butadroka
. The 27 Indo-Fijian electorates were almost equally divided, with the National Federation Party
winning 14 seats and the Fiji Labour Party
13. All five of the "general electorates" were won by the General Voters Party.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
between 23 and 30 May 1992. It was the first election held since two military coups
Fiji coups of 1987
The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...
in 1987 had severed Fiji's 113-year old constitutional links with the British Monarchy
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
, and later Fijian Monarchy, and ushered in a republic.
The 1992 elections were the first to be held under the new electoral system, which was deliberately biased in favour of ethnic Fijians
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
. "National" constituencies, elected by universal suffrage and comprising approximately half of the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
under the 1970 constitution, were abolished, and for the first time, all members of the House of Representatives were elected from "communal" constituencies on closed electoral rolls, for registered members of a particular ethnic group. 37 seats were allocated to ethnic Fijians and only 27 to Indo-Fijians, despite the near-equality of their numbers in the population; one seat was reserved for a representative of the Rotuman Islanders
Rotuma
Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...
, with five "general electorates" set aside for various minorities including Europeans, Chinese, and Banaban Islanders
Banaba Island
Banaba Island , an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised coral island west of the Gilbert Island chain and 300 km east of Nauru. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. It has an area of 6.5 km², and the highest point on the island is also the highest point in Kiribati, at 81...
.
The Fijian Political Party led by Sitiveni Rabuka
Sitiveni Rabuka
Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. He was later democratically elected the third Prime Minister, serving from 1992 to 1999...
, who had instigated the 1987 coups, won 32 of the 37 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians and Rotuman; the remaining five were won by the extremist Fijian Nationalist Party
Fijian Nationalist Party
The Fijian Nationalist Party was a political party in Fiji, founded in 1975 by Sakeasi Butadroka, a parliamentarian who defected from the then-ruling Fijian Alliance, on a "Fiji for the Fijians!" platform. Its support peaked in the parliamentary election of March 1977, when it took 24.4 percent...
of Sakeasi Butadroka
Sakeasi Butadroka
Sakeasi Butadroka was a Fijian politician noted for his strident ethnic nationalism. Originally elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the ruling Fijian Alliance in the parliamentary election of 1972, he was expelled from the Alliance for his public attacks against the presence of...
. The 27 Indo-Fijian electorates were almost equally divided, with the National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
winning 14 seats and the Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
13. All five of the "general electorates" were won by the General Voters Party.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei The Fijian Political Party is a party which dominated politics in the 1990s and was the mainstay of coalition governments from 1992 to 1999, but which is currently without representation in the House of Representatives.-Origins:The party was founded in 1990 as the political... |
154,656 | 43.6 | 30 | New |
| National Federation Party National Federation Party (Fiji) The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party... |
56,951 | 16.1 | 14 | |
| Fiji Labour Party Fiji Labour Party The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is... |
56,948 | 16.1 | 13 | |
| Fijian Nationalist United Front | 29,722 | 8.4 | 3 | |
| All Nationals Congress | 28,189 | 8.0 | 0 | New |
| Western United Front Western United Front (Fiji) Western United Front was an ethnically Fijian political party formed prior to the 1982 elections and contested the election in coalition with the National Federation Party .- The formation of the Party :... |
9,321 | 2.6 | 2 | |
| General Voters Party | 5,079 | 1.4 | 5 | New |
| Fijian Indian Liberal Party | 1,783 | 0.5 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 11,708 | 3.3 | 3 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 3,013 | |||
| Total | 239,612 | 100 | 70 | +18 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||||