The Remorseless Power of Incumbency in Fiji's September 2014 Election

Jon Fraenkel

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    Abstract: Fiji's September 2014 election was the first since the military takeover of December 2006 and the first under a new open list proportional representation system. It proved a landslide victory for coup leader turned Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama's FijiFirst Party. This was a 'competitive authoritarian' election, characterised by careful controls over media outlets, manipulation of rules regarding political parties and candidate nominations, and selective use of state finances to harass opponents. It was a genuine contest only in so far as the government could control the process. The outcome demonstrates the potency of incumbency in Fiji, which was also an important factor in the country's previous post-coup elections in 1992 and 2001.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)151-164
    JournalThe Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs
    Volume104
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

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