fiji election of 1992

A general election was held to restore Fiji to democracy in 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 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 36 of the 38 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians and Rotuman; the remaining two were won by the extremist Fijian Nationalist Party of Sakeaki Butadroka. The 27 Indo-Fijian electorates were almost equally divided, with the National Federation Party winning 14 seats and the Fiji Labour Party 13. Four of the five "general electorates" were won by the General Voters Party; one seat went to the All Nationals Congress. Having won 36 of the 70 seats, the Fijian Political Party had a slim majority, but a challenge to Rabuka's leadership by the former Finance Minister Josefata Kamikamica (who had the apparent support of Fiji's founding father, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara), split the party. Kamikamica and five of his supporters left the party to form the Fijian Association Party, leaving the Fijian Political Party with only 30 seats, six fewer than the number needed for a majority in the 70-member House of Representatives. Renowned for his ability to walk both sides of the street, Rabuka made a surprise deal with the Fiji Labour Party, which had won 13 of the 27 seats reserved for Indo-Fijians. This was the same party that Rabuka had deposed from power in 1987, in protest against the large numbers of Indo-Fijians in the government. The support of the FLP was later withdrawn; they accused Rabuka of reneging on his agreement to review Fiji's inequitable electoral system, which they said had been the condition of their support. These happenings reinforced Rabuka's reputation as a man who would do anything for the sake of power.

Fiji Election Of 1992

See also