FijiFirst iMatai ni Viti | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | FF |
Leader | Inia Seruiratu |
President | Tema Varo [1] |
Secretary-General | Faiyaz Koya (acting) |
Founded | 31 March 2014 |
Registered | 30 May 2014 |
Headquarters | 96 Brown Street, Suva |
Youth wing | FijiFirst Youth |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre |
Colours | Light blue |
Slogan | “The best future for all Fijians” |
Parliament | 26 / 55 |
Website | |
fijifirst | |
| ||
---|---|---|
2006–2022
2022–2023
Timeline
General elections
|
||
FijiFirst (FF) ( Fijian: iMatai ni Viti) is a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama.
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. [7] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration. [8]
Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs. [9] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni. [10]
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. [11] 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. [12]
The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints, [13] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party. [14] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014. [15]
The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014 [16] 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. [17]
The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women. [18] 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. [19] [20]
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. [21] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker, [22] 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. [23]
On March 29, 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama [24]
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. [25] [26] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts. [27]
On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party. [28] [29]
Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Frank Bainimarama | 293,714 | 59.17% | 32 / 50
|
New | 1st | Government |
2018 | 227,241 | 52.94% | 27 / 51
|
5 | 1st | Government | |
2022 | 200,246 | 42.55% | 26 / 55
|
1 | 1st | Opposition |
FijiFirst iMatai ni Viti | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | FF |
Leader | Inia Seruiratu |
President | Tema Varo [1] |
Secretary-General | Faiyaz Koya (acting) |
Founded | 31 March 2014 |
Registered | 30 May 2014 |
Headquarters | 96 Brown Street, Suva |
Youth wing | FijiFirst Youth |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre |
Colours | Light blue |
Slogan | “The best future for all Fijians” |
Parliament | 26 / 55 |
Website | |
fijifirst | |
| ||
---|---|---|
2006–2022
2022–2023
Timeline
General elections
|
||
FijiFirst (FF) ( Fijian: iMatai ni Viti) is a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama.
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. [7] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration. [8]
Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs. [9] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni. [10]
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. [11] 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. [12]
The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints, [13] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party. [14] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014. [15]
The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014 [16] 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. [17]
The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women. [18] 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. [19] [20]
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. [21] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker, [22] 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. [23]
On March 29, 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama [24]
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. [25] [26] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts. [27]
On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party. [28] [29]
Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Frank Bainimarama | 293,714 | 59.17% | 32 / 50
|
New | 1st | Government |
2018 | 227,241 | 52.94% | 27 / 51
|
5 | 1st | Government | |
2022 | 200,246 | 42.55% | 26 / 55
|
1 | 1st | Opposition |