Fijian PM Rabuka puts brakes on long-awaited municipal elections

Fiji's prime minister has decided to call off the country's much-anticipated local government elections scheduled for September this year, citing "global headwinds" and the risk of "voter fatigue".

Fijians have not voted in local government elections for more than two decades, and bringing them back was one of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's key election promises ahead of the December 2022 polls.

Rabuka told reporters earlier this week that he was considering delaying the local elections due to several factors, including stress on government finances - a move criticised by the Fiji Labour Party as the prime minister having "bitten off more than he can chew".

"After careful consideration by Cabinet, I have decided to defer the local government elections to a date to be determined after the coming general elections," Rabuka said in a live televised national address on Thursday morning.

"This was not an easy decision. Restoring elected local governments has been a core promise of this coalition government."

He blamed the former FijiFirst administration for failing to deliver municipal elections, but said his coalition government had taken "concrete, serious steps forward" such as amendments to relevant laws and initiating a voter registration process.

He said his government was committed to delivering democratic local councils this year but "events beyond our control now compel us to act with prudence and fiscal responsibility".

"Global headwinds have intensified, oil supply disruptions and sharp price shocks are placing significant pressure on our economy, our businesses, our families, and on government finances," he said.

Rabuka said everyone in Fiji was feeling the impact of rising fuel costs and holding local government elections - which would "impose" an additional FJ$18 million - would place extra burden on an already tight government budget.

"In this uncertain global environment we must prioritise, we must protect essential services."

He said holding local government elections, a likely constitutional referendum, and general elections within a tight six-month period would stretch resources.

"Voter burnout is a real risk," he said, adding "when citizens are asked to [go to] the polls too frequently in a short space of time, fatigue sets in, participation drops, and the quality of our democracy suffers.

"I will not allow to happen. This deferral is therefore a decisive but responsible call. It is not a retreat from our commitment to local democracy. It is a strategic pause to ensure we get it right under the prevailing conditions."

Fiji is set to hold general elections later this year, which can be called any time between 7 August 2026 and 6 February 2027.

A possible national referendum on the 2013 Constitution is also on the cards as Rabuka's coalition attempts to discard what former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama described as his "legacy".

Meanwhile, in response to Rabuka's announcement, Fiji's Electoral Commission and the Fijian Elections Office said they had noted the prime minister's announcement.

"While the timing of the local government elections has changed, the work of preparing Fiji for its next national electoral event continues with full momentum," they stated in a news release.