Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is expected to leverage the potential benefits arising from the downfall of the political party FijiFirst (FFP), according to former permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jioji Kotobalavu. The FFP, formerly a significant political force, was deregistered earlier this week.
Kotobalavu described Rabuka as not only sympathetic towards the FFP’s situation but also skilful and strategic, likely to fully capitalise on the demise of the party for his own gain.
Drawing on previous general elections, Kotobalavu noted that no independent candidate had ever been successful due to a stipulation in the 2013 Constitution that a party or independent candidate needs to reach a 5% threshold of all valid votes to garner a share of seats in Parliament. Neither the Fiji Labour Party nor Unity Fiji met this threshold in the 2022 General Election.
In the wake of the FFP’s deregistration, independent MPs will ideally need to align with one of the three parties of the People’s Coalition Government to retain their seats. Voters’ preference will likely lean towards a charismatic leader like Rabuka, as his appeal garners considerable support, as demonstrated in the 2022 General Election in which his leadership brought his party the majority of its current 21 MPs.
Kotobalavu also shed light on the composition of the current Parliament, which has a marginal majority for the People’s Coalition Government and argued that Rabuka would gladly accept the support of newly independent MPs to strengthen his party, enhance his powers, and facilitate critical amendments to the 2013 Constitution.