Fiji election of 1966
Encyclopedia
The general election to the Legislative Council
of Fiji
in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom
was granted in 1970. It was not the first election to be held under colonial rule, but it marked the first time that all adult citizens were allowed to vote. Previously, the franchise had been limited to European settlers, Fijian
chiefs
, and wealthy Indo-Fijians. Women also voted in this election for the first time.
The main contest was between the Alliance Party, dominated by indigenous Fijians and supported by most General Electors
and those Indo-Fijians who were opposed to the Federation Party, and the Indo-Fijian-dominated National Federation Party
(NFP). The Alliance, led by the Lauan
chief, Ratu Kamisese Mara
, won a landslide victory, taking 22 of the 34 directly elected seats. After the election the three independents and two nominees of the Great Council of Chiefs
, also joined the Alliance to give it a total of 27 seats. The remaining 9 seats were won by the NFP, led by A. D. Patel. The NFP won all 9 Indian communal constituencies
- allocated to and elected exclusively by voters registered as Indians - and no other seats. This ethnic cleavage set the pattern which persists to this day; electoral politics
in Fiji remains divided more by race than by ideology.
Owing to the victory of the Alliance, Ratu Mara was appointed Chief Minister
when responsible government
was introduced in September 1967. A.D. Patel was appointed the Leader of the Opposition.
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was granted in 1970. It was not the first election to be held under colonial rule, but it marked the first time that all adult citizens were allowed to vote. Previously, the franchise had been limited to European settlers, Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
chiefs
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
, and wealthy Indo-Fijians. Women also voted in this election for the first time.
The main contest was between the Alliance Party, dominated by indigenous Fijians and supported by most General Electors
General Electors (Fiji)
"General Electors" is the term used in Fiji to identify citizens of voting age who belong, in most cases, to ethnic minorities. The Constitution defines General Electors as all Fiji citizens who are not registered as being of Fijian, Indian, or Rotuman descent. Also included are citizens who do...
and those Indo-Fijians who were opposed to the Federation Party, and the Indo-Fijian-dominated National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
(NFP). The Alliance, led by the Lauan
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
chief, Ratu Kamisese Mara
Kamisese Mara
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992...
, won a landslide victory, taking 22 of the 34 directly elected seats. After the election the three independents and two nominees of the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
, also joined the Alliance to give it a total of 27 seats. The remaining 9 seats were won by the NFP, led by A. D. Patel. The NFP won all 9 Indian communal constituencies
Communal constituencies (Fiji)
Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. In communal constituencies, electors enrolled as ethnic Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Rotuman Islanders, or General Electors vote for a candidate of their own respective ethnic groups, in constituencies that have...
- allocated to and elected exclusively by voters registered as Indians - and no other seats. This ethnic cleavage set the pattern which persists to this day; electoral politics
Politics of Fiji
Politics of Fiji takes place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic. Fiji has a multi-party system with the Prime Minister of Fiji as head of government. The executive power is exercised by the government...
in Fiji remains divided more by race than by ideology.
Owing to the victory of the Alliance, Ratu Mara was appointed Chief Minister
Chief Minister (Fiji)
Fiji's British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. This was part of an ongoing move to forge modern political institutions to prepare Fiji for independence, which was granted on 10 November 1970.The Chief Minister,...
when responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
was introduced in September 1967. A.D. Patel was appointed the Leader of the Opposition.