Political Rights | 28 / 40 |
Civil Liberties | 41 / 60 |
The repressive climate that followed a 2006 coup has eased considerably, with regular democratic elections held beginning in 2014, and respect for civil liberties gradually improving. The 2022 elections were followed by a peaceful transfer of power, ending 16 years of governments headed by 2006 coup leader Frank Bainimarama.
- In May, former Prime Minister Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho were sentenced to one and two years in prison, respectively, for improperly halting a 2020 police investigation into corruption at the University of the South Pacific. Bainimarama was granted an early release in November.
- In July, the registrar of political parties officially deregistered the opposition FijiFirst party, which had ruled prior to 2022, for failing to bring its constitution into compliance with the 2013 Political Parties Act by creating a mechanism for resolving internal disputes. The deregistration, which came in the wake of an attempt by party leadership to dismiss a number of lawmakers for disobedience on a controversial vote to increase parliamentary salaries, meant that all of FijiFirst’s 26 members of Parliament would sit as independents.
- The Supreme Court—first in April and again in June—issued rulings in which the justices cast doubt on the supremacy of the 2013 constitution, as it had been drafted by a small group in the postcoup period without public consultation. Separately in June, the court ruled that John Rabuku, who had been appointed as acting director of public prosecutions in 2023, was ineligible to hold the post due to a previous punishment for professional misconduct; he was replaced in July.
- In October, Parliament elected its speaker, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, to serve as the country’s largely ceremonial president. Having been nominated by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, he defeated opposition nominee Ratu Meli Tora Tavaiqia in a 37–16 vote.
- Multiple government officials were under investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) during the year. In September, the FICAC’s newly appointed commissioner, Barbara Malimali, was herself arrested after the acting deputy commissioner, Francis Puleiwai, launched an investigation into alleged abuse of office by Malimali at her previous post. The attorney general noted that Puleiwai had sought the commissioner’s position, creating a conflict of interest; she later stepped down as acting deputy commissioner and left the country. A formal inquiry into the matter was pending at year’s end.
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For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 3 / 4 |
Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 2 / 4 |
Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 3 / 4 |
Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 3 / 4 |
Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 3 / 4 |
Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 3 / 4 |
Score Change: The score improved from 2 to 3 because the long-dominant FijiFirst party’s fall from power in late 2022 and dissolution in 2024 effectively dismantled its network of improper financial ties with major businesses, which had given it an unfair advantage in past elections.
Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 3 / 4 |
Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 3 / 4 |
Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 2 / 4 |
Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 3 / 4 |
Are there free and independent media? | 4 / 4 |
Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 4 / 4 |
Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 3 / 4 |
Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 3 / 4 |
Is there freedom of assembly? | 3 / 4 |
Score Change: The score improved from 2 to 3 because authorities have imposed fewer obstacles to protests since 2022 than in previous years, allowing vigils and marches on a number of topics to proceed despite ongoing restrictions on displays of the Palestinian flag.
Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 3 / 4 |
Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 3 / 4 |
Is there an independent judiciary? | 3 / 4 |
Score Change: The score improved from 2 to 3 because the appointment of new judges in recent years has been accompanied by signs of greater judicial autonomy, including a Supreme Court ruling against the qualifications of a senior prosecutorial official.
Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 1 / 4 |
Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 2 / 4 |
Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 2 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 3 / 4 |
Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 3 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 2 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 2 / 4 |