SYDNEY: Fiji will have a new leader for the first time in 16 years after a national election resulted in three parties joining up to form a government in the Pacific island nation, dislodging Frank Bainimarama’s Fiji First party.

The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), a power-broker holding three seats in the hung parliament, announced on Tuesday it had decided to form a coalition with Sitiveni Rabuka’s People’s Alliance and the National Federation Party.

The decision came after two days of deliberations and rival presentations by former Prime Minister Bainimarama and the People’s Alliance party, after a national election last week resulted in a deadlock. At a livestreamed news conference, Rabuka thanked the people of Fiji. “They have voted for change and we have given them that,” he said.

National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad told reporters: “Today the leaders of the People’s Alliance party, the National Federation Party and the Social Democratic Liberal Party agreed to form a new government.” He said Rabuka would become the new prime minister of Fiji under the deal, and a “strong and united coalition government” was a Christmas present to the people of Fiji.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2022