Frank Bainimarama was poised to be declared the outright winner of historic elections held in Fiji day before yesterday.
With votes from more than 70 per cent of polling stations counted, Bainimarama’s Fiji First party was winning 60 per cent of the vote.
Closest rival, the SODELPA party, was trailing with 27 as this article went to press. The margin will ensure Fiji First will be able to rule outright in the parliament under the country’s proportional system.
And New Zealand is ready to embrace the Bainimarama’s new government.
Prime Minister John Key told reporters today that it appeared that Fiji’s people had spoken and elected the FijiFirst Party to govern.
Key said they were waiting for official results before acknowledging the new government.
However, although international observers had ruled that the elections were held in a free and fair atmosphere, opposition party leaders claimed vote rigging.
More announcements are expected on this later.
Meanwhile, there was excitement among thousands of voters and relief from the international community as Fijians cast ballots in the landmark election they hope will end eight years of political turmoil.
Bainimarama, who has ruled since seizing control in a 2006 coup, is popular in Fiji thanks in part to his focus on social programmes, increased infrastructure spending and careful cultivation of his image through media controls.
After casting his ballot, Bainimarama was asked whether he would accept the outcome if he lost. “I’m not going to lose. I will win. You ask that question to the other party,” he said. Then he added: “Of course we will accept the election results. That is what the democratic process is all about.”
The 100 or so international election observers did not report any immediate problems by the time voting closed. A little more than half a million of the nation’s 900,000 citizens registered to vote.
The international community is prepared to drop remaining sanctions once Fiji officially restores democracy, including returning it to full membership among the Commonwealth group of nations.
Ro Teimumu Kepa, SODELPA, said after voting that she and her candidates had done the best job they could: “We leave it to the people to decide.”
An indigenous Fijian, Bainimarama is paradoxically most popular with the large minority of the population whose ancestors come from India – mainly because he has ended preferential indigenous representation in the parliament and abolished the Great Council of Chiefs, a group of powerful indigenous Fijians who enjoyed a privileged status in island life.