List of political parties in Fiji

This article lists political parties in Fiji.

Fiji has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.

The parties

Parliamentary parties

Have representatives in the House of Representatives:
* Fiji Labour Party (originally multiracial but now predominantly Indo-Fijian; led by Mahendra Chaudhry)
* Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua ("United Fiji Party" or SDL, mainly ethnic Fijian; led by Laisenia Qarase)
* United Peoples Party (supported mostly by Europeans, Chinese, and other minorities)

Minor parties

Not represented in the House of Representatives at present:
* Coalition of Independent Nationals - a grouping of six candidates styling themselves as independents, in the 1999 election. Led by Prince Vyas Muni Lakshman.
* Conservative Alliance (CAMV), a nationalistic party that broke away from the Fijian Political Party (SVT) (q.v.) in 2001; led by Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, its key figures included insurrectionist George Speight. The party merged into the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua in March 2006, but was revived in 2008.
* Dodonu ni Taukei (DNT) - ethnic Fijian party led by Dr Fereti S. Dewa.
* Fijian Association Party (FAP) - founded by Josefata Kamikamica; significant in the 1990s but wiped out in 2001. Most members merged in June 2002 into the new Fiji Democratic Party; a rump continues under the leadership of Ratu Inoke Seru.
* Fijian Political Party, better known by its Fijian name, "Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei" (SVT), ethnic Fijian; the governing party from 1992 to 1999, but decimated in 1999 and anihlated in 2001. Partially merged into the Fiji Democratic Party in June 2002.
* General Voters Party (GVP), the rump of a once-significant party that mostly merged into what is now the United Peoples Party in the late 1990s. Led by Dan Johns.
* Girmit Heritage Party (GHP), a small Indo-Fijian party led by Beni Sami.
* Justice and Freedom Party (AIM): led by Dildar Shah
* Lio 'On Famör Rotuma Party (LFR), a party representing Rotuman Islanders, led by Sakumanu Pene
* National Alliance Party of Fiji (NAPF): registered on 18 January 2005 by "Ratu" Epeli Ganilau as the successor to the defunct Alliance Party
* National Federation Party (NFP) - predominantly Indo-Fijian; once a major political party
* Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party (NVTLP), led by Iliesa Duvuloco
* New Nationalist Party, led by Saula Telawa. A splinter from the NVTLP
* Party of National Unity (PANU) - multiracial party founded in 1998 by Sairusi Gagavoka; now merged into the People's National Party (PNP), though it was revived.
* Party of the Truth (POTT), led by Nimilote Fifita
* People's National Party, predominantly ethnic Fijian; effectively led by Meli Bogileka; formed from a merger of the Party of National Unity (PANU) - and the Protector of Fiji (Bai kei Viti, founded by Ratu Tevita Momoedonu).
* Social Liberal Multicultural Party, led by Joketani Delai

Municipal parties

Parties existing only at the municipal level:

* Sugar City Ratepayers Alliance - a party that exists only in the City of Lautoka, where it participates in municipal politics.

Historical parties

Political parties that have played a pivotal role in the past, but are now defunct.
* All Nationals Congress - formerly a multiracial party. Split, with some joining the Fijian Association Party (FAP), and others the United General Party.
* Christian Democratic Alliance, more commonly known by the Fijian acronym "VLV" ("Veitokoni ni Lewenivanua VaKarisito") - founded in 1999, this party won 19 percent of the vote and 3 seats in the 1999 election. It was weakened in 2001 when the leader, Poseci Bune, defected to join the Fiji Labour Party. In 2005, this party merged into the National Alliance Party of Fiji.
* Alliance Party - the former ruling party (1967-1987); founded by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. On 18 January 2005, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, the past Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, formally registered the National Alliance Party of Fiji as the claimed successor to the defunct party.
* Fijian Nationalist Party - a hardline nationalist party advocating indigenous Fijian supremacy, founded by Sakeasi Butadroka in 1975. Merged with the Vanua Tako Lavo Party in 1999 to form the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party
* Fiji Democratic Party - founded in June 2002 by Filipe Bole as a merger of the Fijian Association Party, the Christian Democratic Alliance, the New Labour Unity Party, and most members of the Fijian Political Party. Dissolved in April 2005 and merged into the new National Alliance Party of Fiji
* New Labour Unity Party (founded in 2001 by Tupeni Baba; won two seats).
* Protector of Fiji (Bei Kei Viti; BKV) - ethnic Fijian party founded in 2001 by Ratu Tevita Momoedonu; now merged into the People's National Party (PNP)
* Vanua Tako Lavo Party - nationalist party advocating political supremacy for indigenous Fijians, founded by Iliesa Duvuloco. Merged with Fijian Nationalist Party in 1999 to form the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party
* Western United Front, political party based in the western part of Viti Levu, active in the early 1980s.

Coalitions and electoral alliances

* Grand Coalition Initiative Group - a coalition of five predominantly indigenous Fijian parties formed to contest the upcoming election scheduled for mid-2006. Participating parties are: the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua, Conservative Alliance, Fijian Political Party, Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party, and the People's National Party.

* People's Coalition - an electoral alliance consisting of the Fiji Labour Party, the Fijian Association Party, and the Party of National Unity, which won the 1999 elections.

* NFP-Labour Coalition was the coalition of the National Federation Party and Fiji Labour Party under the leadership of Timoci Bavadra, formed in 1987 to contest that year's general election. The coalition won the election with 28 seats in the House of Representatives to the Alliance Party's 24 seats.

* NFP-WUF Coalition was a coalition of the National Federation Party(NFP) led by Jai Ram Reddy anf the Western United Front (WUF) under the leadership of Ratu Osea Gavidi, formed to fight the 1982 general election against the Alliance Party. The coalition was an attempt by Reddy to broaden the appeal of a future NFP led Government to the ethnic Fijians.

External links

* [http://www.elections.gov.fj/parties/list_of_parties.html List of parties] at the Fiji Electoral Commission.

See also

* Index of political parties to browse parties by name
* List of political parties to browse parties by country
* List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
* Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals