Fijian general election, 1966

Fiji

This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Fiji
Constitution History
Executive President George Konrote Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Cabinet Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Leader of the Opposition Sitiveni Rabuka
Legislative Parliament Speaker: Jiko Luveni
Judiciary Supreme Court Court of Appeal High Court
Local government Recent municipal elections 2002 2005
Former and informal Monarchy Governor Governor-General Chief Minister Executive Council Legislative Council Great Council of Chiefs Vice-President
Elections Electoral system Voting Constituencies Open Communal National Political parties Recent elections Parliamentary: 2006 2014 Presidential: 2000 2006
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister for Foreign Affairs Diplomatic missions Passport Visa requirements
Other countries Atlas

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.

Elections in Fiji

General elections	1871 (Jun-Jul) 1871 (Sep) 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1937 1940 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1963 1966 1972 1977 (Mar) 1977 (Sep) 1982 1987 1992 1994 1999 2001 2006 2014

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.