Fiji news

Sitiveni Rabuka to be Pacific nation's next prime minister after his People's Alliance party secured backing of the Social Liberal Democratic party.

FijiFirst secured 42.5% of the vote, while People’s Alliance took 36%, the National Federation party 9% and Sodelpa more than 5%. FijiFirst will command 26 seats in the expanded 55-member parliament, while People’s Alliance will have 21, the National Federation five, and Sodelpa three. Sitiveni Rabuka will head the Pacific nation after his People’s Alliance party secured the backing of the Social Liberal Democratic party (Sodelpa) whose three members held the balance of power after the election delivered a hung parliament.

It's the second time Rabuka will become prime minister, after he seized control through a coup in 1987 before legitimising his government at a democratic ...

* [Sitiveni Rabuka](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300579268/fiji-elections-time-to-vote-out-frank-bainimaramas-fijifirst-says-sitiveni-rabuka?rm=a) will head the Pacific nation after his People's Alliance party secured the vote of the Social Liberal Democratic Party (SODELPA), whose three members held the balance of power after a hung parliament.

Fiji will have a new leader for the first time in 16 years after a national election resulted in three parties joining up in a coalition to form a ...

He said Rabuka would become the new prime minister of Fiji under the deal, and a "strong and united coalition government" was a Christmas present to the people of Fiji. National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad told reporters: "Today the leaders of the People's Alliance party, the National Federation Party and the Social Democratic Liberal Party agreed to form a new government." Register for free to Reuters and know the full story

Fiji will have new political leadership after two days of tense negotiations following the national election, which saw no party win an outright majority.

"It has not been a very easy decision. We didn't disappoint them." - A narrow majority of SODELPA members voted to side with the People's Alliance Party and the NFP

Fiji will see a new leader for the first time in 16 years, but Sitiveni Rabuka is no stranger to power in the country.

However, the past few years have proved tough for many in the nation of just under 1 million, after tourism evaporated when COVID-19 hit and the economy tanked. “But now that it’s all over, I’m sure we can all turn our back on that, work together, form a government, and tell the people of Fiji they can have a very merry Christmas.” Bainimarama and Rabuka had been deadlocked at 26 seats apiece after last week’s election.

The political situation in Fiji remains extremely tenuous today despite a new coalition - with Sitiveni Rabuka poised to be Prime Minister - being announced ...

“You know we’ve been two political rivals for eight years in parliament and that was pretty clear in the fall of parliament…there’s no family,” he told media. Whether Rabuka will be Prime Minister is dependent on the three SODELPA MP’s following their party directive to vote for him. The political situation in Fiji remains extremely tenuous today despite a new coalition - with Sitiveni Rabuka poised to be Prime Minister - being announced last night.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta was the first foreign minister to congratulate Fiji's new government.

“They will be able to provide a very robust, dynamic and well-informed opposition. 🇳🇿 looks forward to working together to continue strengthening our warm relationship— Nanaia Mahuta (@NanaiaMahuta) Congratulations to PA-NFP-SODELPA/ Sitiveni Rabuka on forming a coalition to lead the 🇫🇯 people. Fijians took to the streets and on social media to celebrate the new government after the announcement was made on Tuesday night. “Fiji’s health system is one of the worst in the world in terms of primary health care, and it has one of the highest numbers of amputations in the world.” [Dr Steven Ratuva](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/127314455/dr-steven-ratuva-first-pacific-person-to-be-named-a-distinguished-professor) said the new government would have a lot to do to allow for more freedom in a country that has been under one rule for nearly two decades. Mahuta tweeted: “Congratulations to PA-NFP-SODELPA/ Sitiveni Rabuka on forming a coalition to lead the people.” [Nanaia Mahuta](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130745502/nanaia-mahuta-received-official-briefing-on-controversial-three-waters-entrenchment-clause) has congratulated [Sitiveni Rabuka](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300770546/fijis-sitiveni-rabuka-becomes-new-pm-dethroning-frank-bainimarama-after-nearly-16-years) and his new coalition for winning the Fiji [general election](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300765810/fiji-election-frank-bainimaramas-fijifirst-claims-provisional-lead-over-sitiveni-rabukas-peoples-alliance). “There are so many of them, there are a lot of things that need to be reformed, like the education system which has really collapsed in terms of quality and the way it’s been run,” Ratuva said. [Frank Bainimarama](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300770546/fiji-set-to-get-a-new-prime-minister-dethroning-bainimarama-after-nearly-16-years)’s Fiji First Party and Rabuka’s coalition with the National Federation Party finished with 26 seats each. [US requests application on Russian superyacht be dealt with in chambers](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300573258/us-requests-application-on-russian-superyacht-be-dealt-with-in-chambers?rm=a) Mahuta posted a congratulatory message on Twitter after the kingmaker party, Social Liberal Democratic Party (SODELPA), made the decision to form the next Fiji government with Rabuka on Tuesday.

New Zealand's foreign minister on Wednesday congratulated Sitiveni Rabuka on emerging victorious from Fiji's election, giving the troubled vote a seal of ...

"I have faith in Fiji's ability to conduct the remaining stages of this process and stand ready to acknowledge their new leader." But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern offered a more measured response than Mahuta, saying Wednesday that New Zealand would have to "wait" until the dust settles in the contentious poll. In a Twitter post, New Zealand's foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta offered her "congratulations" on forming a coalition to lead the country.

Workers and supporters of People's Alliance Party celebrate after securing the support of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) to form a new ...

"Which means that the faction in Sodelpa that supported FijiFirst, they're probably not finished yet, they're probably thinking up something." The new coalition, however, was in a precarious spot just hours before. "Bainimarama's government has been around since the coup in 2006. "A three-member coalition, that's worrying for us, who's going to be making those big decisions?" "The new coalition will have to do a lot of reform, in terms of reimagining and reframing the new governance process in Fiji for the future," he said. I hope the new government can bring back that freedom."