Fiji
Fact Sheet - 2024
Constituency:
1
Parliament Term:
4 yrs
Upper House:
None
Lower House:
Parliament
Members of Parliament:
55 MPs
Female MPs:
5
Female MPs:
9.10%
Voting Age:
18
Electoral System:
Open List Proportional Representation
Prime Minister
Leader of highest ranked party
President
Appointed by Parliament
Elections:
- Population:
942,476 - Voters:
693,915 - Turnout:
68.3% -
Female
Voters:
54% -
Male
Voters:
46%
Legal Framework:
Elections Management Bodies
On 6 December 2006, the democratically elected Government of Fiji was replaced following a military takeover, leading to the suspension of the Parliament, which comprised the 71-member House of Representatives and the 32-member Senate. The 2006 Parliament included 8 women in the House of Representatives and 5 in the Senate.
In September 2013, Fiji’s new constitution was assented to, changing the parliamentary system from a bicameral legislature to a unicameral legislature with 50 members. In March 2017, the number of seats increased to 51, and in June 2021, it further increased to 55 due to population growth.
The new electoral system introduced in 2013 required MPs to be elected through an Open List proportional representation voting system. The voting age was reduced to 18 years.
Fiji held its first general elections since the 2006 coup on 17 September 2014. Seven political parties and two independent candidates contested, with 44 female candidates (17.7%).
FijiFirst won 59.2% of the votes, securing 32 seats, while SODELPA and the National Federation Party secured 15 and 3 seats, respectively.
By October 2018, 637,527 voters were registered. The 2018 elections saw six political parties contesting, with 56 women (24%) among the 235 candidates. FijiFirst won 50.02% of the votes, followed by SODELPA with 39.85%, and the National Federation Party with 33,515 votes. Ten women were elected to Parliament.
Fiji held its general election on 14 December 2022, electing 55 Members of Parliament with a 68.3% voter turnout. Among the 342 candidates, 56 were women (16.3%), but only six were elected, a decrease from 11 in 2018. Four women MPs were re-elected, and two new women MPs joined Parliament. In 2021, Mereseini Rakuita Vuniwaqa, the Minister for Women, Children, and Poverty Alleviation, resigned, leaving five women in Parliament.
Current National Women MPs
Hon Alitia Bainivalu
Party:
Term:
Electorate:
Province:
Political Status:
Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua
Party:
Term:
Electorate:
Province:
Political Status:
National Federation Party
2018 - 2022, 2022 - Current
Fiji
N/A
Deputy Speaker and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
Hon. Lynda Tabuya
Party:
Term:
Electorate:
Province:
Political Status:
Social Democratic Liberal Party
2018 - 2022, 2022 - Current
Fiji
N/A
Government Backbencher
Hon. Premila Kumar
Party:
Term:
Electorate:
Province:
Political Status:
Hon. Sashi Kiran
Party:
Term:
Electorate:
Province:
Political Status:
National Federation Party
2022 - Current
Fiji
N/A
Minister of Woman, Children and Poverty Alleviation