Mr. Bainimarama’s party, Fiji First, and the coalition led by Mr. Rabuka are expected to win 26 seats each in the 55-member parliament, according to the official vote tally from Wednesday’s poll, published online by the Electoral Board. Fijian.
These results come to close a turbulent campaign marked by accusations of fraud and calls for the intervention of the army. They place the country in an impasse.
The formation of the next government will undoubtedly be the result of a long process of negotiations, the two parties already courting the Social Democratic Party, which holds three seats and the key to a majority.
The relationship with China, an essential issue in the election
The Social Democrats are led by the very religious Viliame Gavoka, former president of the Fiji Rugby Union who fell out with MM. Bainimarama and Rabuka.
Fiji has 900,000 inhabitants and the outcome of this election has a regional impact: Mr. Bainimarama moved closer to China, while MM. Rabuka and Gavoka both suggested loosening ties with Beijing.
Earlier this week, Social Democrats joined a five-party coalition in calling for an immediate halt to vote counting and an investigation.
Fraud charges
The past few days have been particularly turbulent in this South Pacific archipelago, with opposition leader Mr Rabuka, a twice putschist, saying the vote counting process was “shrouded in secrecy”. He was interrogated by the police after requesting the intervention of the army.
Mr. Bainimarama took power in a coup in 2006, and legitimized his government with landslide electoral victories in 2014 and 2018.