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FijiFirst

FijiFirst (FF, Fijian: iMatai ni Viti; Fiji Hindi: फिजी प्रथम) was a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama. It was deregistered on 1 July 2024.[7]

FijiFirst
iMatai ni Viti
फिजी प्रथम
AbbreviationFF
LeaderFrank Bainimarama
PresidentTema Varo[1]
Secretary-GeneralFaiyaz Koya (acting)
Founded31 March 2014; 10 years ago (31 March 2014)
Registered30 May 2014; 10 years ago (30 May 2014)
Dissolved1 July 2024; 4 months ago (1 July 2024)
Headquarters96 Brown Street, Suva
Youth wingFijiFirst Youth
Ideology
Political positionCentre
Colours  Light blue
Slogan“The best future for all Fijians”
Website
fijifirst.com

Formation

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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.[8] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration.[9]

Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs.[10] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni.[11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints,[14] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party.[15] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014.[16]

2014 election

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The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014[17] 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.[18]

2018 election

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The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women.[19] 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.[20][21]

2022 election

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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.[22] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker,[23] 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.[24]

On 29 March 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama.[25] However, Bainimarama remained party leader.[26]

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.[27][28] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts.[29]

On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party.[30][31]

Collapse and dissolution

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On 31 May 2024 FijiFirst sacked 17 of its 26 MPs after they voted to increase their salaries against a party directive.[32][33] When the MPs announced they would challenge their removal from Parliament, the party's administration, including party president Ratu Joji Satalaka, vice Presidents Selai Adimaitoga and Ravindran Nair, acting general secretary Faiyaz Koya, treasurer Hem Chand, as well as founding members Frank Bainimarama, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and Salesh Kumar all resigned.[34] On 14 June Speaker of the House Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu ruled that the 17 MPs were not disqualified, as FijiFirst's notification was signed by Bainimarama, who as a convicted criminal could not exercise any functions in a registered political party.[35] During the dispute the registrar of political parties was informed that the party did not have a legally-required dispute resolution mechanism in its constitution, and threatened to dissolve it if this was not remedied.[36] The party was deregistered on 1 July 2024,[9][37][38] its MPs becoming independents.[39]

Electoral history

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Parliamentary elections

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Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Result
2014 Frank Bainimarama 293,714 59.17%
32 / 50
 Increase  32 Increase  1st Majority government
2018 227,241 52.94%
27 / 51
 Decrease  5 Steady  1st Majority government
2022 200,246 42.55%
26 / 55
 Decrease  1 Steady  1st Opposition

References

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  1. ^ Nand, Edwin. "FijiFirst appoints new party President". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  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. ^ 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. ^ 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. ^ Talei, Akosita (20 October 2018). "Fiji to stay secular state: Bainimarama". Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022.
  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. ^ Kreetika Kumar (1 July 2024). "FijiFirst deregistered". FBC News. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  8. ^ "'I want a new Fiji' - Fiji Times Online". Archived from the original on 9 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Fiji's Bainimarama lodges party application - Radio New Zealand News". 5 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Fiji First unveiled as Bainimarama's new party name for elections". Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Fiji First registration now weeks away - Radio New Zealand News". 25 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  12. ^ "FijiFirst man quits over criminal record". Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  13. ^ "I did not have to think twice - Tui Macuata". Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  14. ^ "Fiji First Party approval outlined". Radio New Zealand International. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  15. ^ "Fiji First party registration decried". Radio New Zealand International. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Fijian PM's Fiji First party officially registered". Shanghai Daily. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  17. ^ Swamy, Nasik. "FijiFirst candidates". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  18. ^ "2014 Election Results". Fiji Elections Office. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  19. ^ "Six political parties to contest Fijian elections". RNZ. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  20. ^ "2018 General Election: FijiFirst wins and will form next government". The Fiji Times. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  21. ^ Talebula Kate (18 November 2018). "2018 General Election: FijiFirst secures 27 seats to form government". Fiji Times. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  22. ^ 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 18 December 2022.
  23. ^ "SODELPA is kingmaker". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Fiji has a new coalition government; Rabuka to be PM". RNZ. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Seruiratu elected Opposition Leader". Fijivillage. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  26. ^ Kumar, Kreetika (9 May 2024). "Bainimarama remains Party Leader". Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  27. ^ "Four Fiji political parties suspended for 30 days over accounts". Fiji Times. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  28. ^ "FijiFirst, New Generation Party and All People's Party social media accounts have gone offline". Fiji Village. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  29. ^ "FEO lifts suspension of FijiFirst". Fiji Village. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  30. ^ Jale Daucakacaka (11 December 2023). "Sayed-Khaiyum resigns as FijiFirst GS". FBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  31. ^ "FijiFirst general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigns, launches criticism against government". RNZ. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  32. ^ "Fiji's main opposition FijiFirst sacks 17 MPs who voted for pay rise". RNZ. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  33. ^ "FijiFirst MPs terminated". FBC News. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  34. ^ "FijiFirst party founders Frank Bainimarama, Sayed-Khaiyum and others resign". RNZ. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  35. ^ Vijay Narayan (14 June 2024). "Speaker decides 17 FijiFirst MPs keep their seats, and refers Bainimarama and Koya for alleged probable breaches". Fiji Village. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  36. ^ "FijiFirst resignations 'shocking' - Supporters 'let down', says professor". RNZ. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  37. ^ Vijay Narayan (1 July 2024). "FijiFirst Party de-registered". Fiji Village. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  38. ^ Shayal Devi (2 July 2024). "No more party : FEO deregisters FijiFirst". Fiji Times. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  39. ^ Jone Salusalu (2 July 2024). "FijiFirst Party Deregistered, Opposition to Serve as Independent MPs". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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