Fiji election of 1994
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Fiji
between 18 and 25 February 1994. This election, the second since Fiji had become a republic following two military coups
in 1987, was brought about by splits within the ruling Fijian Political Party and by the withdrawal of the support of the Fiji Labour Party
, which claimed that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka
had reneged on a deal to review Fiji's electoral system, which was heavily weighted in favour of ethnic Fijians
, despite their being nearly equal in number to Indo-Fijians.
The election produced little change among the 38 seats in the House of Representatives
that were reserved for ethnic Fijians and Rotuman Islanders
. The Fijian Political Party won 33 seats (a gain of three), and the Fijian Association Party
of former Finance Minister Josefata Kamikamica won five (one down). The Fijian Nationalist Party
of Sakeaki Butadroka, which advocated the forced repatriation of all Fijians of Indian descent, lost the two seats that it had won in the previous election
. The five "general electorates," reserved for Fiji's European, Chinese, and other minorities, showed similarly little change, with the General Voters Party winning four seats and the All Nationals Congress, one. There was a very significant change in the composition of the 27 Indo-Fijian seats, however. The Fiji Labour Party lost 6 of its 13 seats, with the National Federation Party
winning the remaining 20. The NFP leader, Jai Ram Reddy
, enjoyed a personal rapport with Rabuka; although they did not enter into a formal coalition, their negotiations led to a substantial overhaul of the Fijian Constitution
which paved the way for the historic election of 1999, which brought Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry
, to power.
Following the 1994 election, Rabuka formed a coalition with the General Voters Party and remained Prime Minister.
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 18 and 25 February 1994. This election, the second since Fiji had become a republic following 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, was brought about by splits within the ruling Fijian Political Party and by the withdrawal of the support of 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...
, which claimed that Prime Minister 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...
had reneged on a deal to review Fiji's electoral system, which was heavily weighted 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...
, despite their being nearly equal in number to Indo-Fijians.
The election produced little change among the 38 seats in 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...
that were reserved for ethnic Fijians and 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"...
. The Fijian Political Party won 33 seats (a gain of three), and the Fijian Association Party
Fijian Association Party
The Fijian Association Party is a former political party in Fiji. It played a significant role in Fijian politics throughout the 1990s, but lost all of its seats in the House of Representatives in the parliamentary election of 2001....
of former Finance Minister Josefata Kamikamica won five (one down). The 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 Sakeaki Butadroka, which advocated the forced repatriation of all Fijians of Indian descent, lost the two seats that it had won in the previous election
Fiji election of 1992
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...
. The five "general electorates," reserved for Fiji's European, Chinese, and other minorities, showed similarly little change, with the General Voters Party winning four seats and the All Nationals Congress, one. There was a very significant change in the composition of the 27 Indo-Fijian seats, however. The Fiji Labour Party lost 6 of its 13 seats, 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 the remaining 20. The NFP leader, Jai Ram Reddy
Jai Ram Reddy
Jai Ram Reddy is an Indo-Fijian statesman, who has had a distinguished career in both the legislative and judicial branches of the Fijian government...
, enjoyed a personal rapport with Rabuka; although they did not enter into a formal coalition, their negotiations led to a substantial overhaul of the Fijian Constitution
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
which paved the way for the historic election of 1999, which brought Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
, to power.
Following the 1994 election, Rabuka formed a coalition with the General Voters Party and remained Prime Minister.
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... |
145,091 | 40.9 | 32 | |
| 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... |
63,097 | 17.8 | 2- | |
| 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... |
51,951 | 14.6 | 7 | |
| Fijian Association Party Fijian Association Party The Fijian Association Party is a former political party in Fiji. It played a significant role in Fijian politics throughout the 1990s, but lost all of its seats in the House of Representatives in the parliamentary election of 2001.... |
34,976 | 9.9 | 5 | New |
| All Nationals Congress | 21,808 | 6.1 | 1 | |
| 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... |
14,446 | 4.1 | 0 | |
| Soqosoqo ni Taukei | 6,417 | 1.8 | 0 | |
| General Voters Party | 4,339 | 1.2 | 4 | |
| Independents | 12,549 | 3.5 | 1 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 2,260 | |||
| Total | 239,567 | 100 | 70 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||||