March 1977 Fijian general election

March 1977 Fijian general election

← 1972 19 March–2 April 1977 September 1977 →

All 52 seats in the House of Representatives
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
NFP
Leader Kamisese Mara Sidiq Koya Sakeasi Butadroka
Party Alliance NFP Nationalist
Last election 33 seats 15 seats
Seats won 24 26 1
Seat change Decrease 9 Increase 7 New
Popular vote 338,523 332,764 39,238
Percentage 46.02% 45.23% 5.33%
Swing Decrease 6.22pp Increase 9.42pp New

Prime Minister before election

Kamisese Mara
Alliance

Elected Prime Minister

Kamisese Mara
Alliance

General elections were held in Fiji between 19 March and 2 April 1977.[1] As a result of a split in the ethnic Fijian vote, the ruling Alliance Party of Prime Minister Kamisese Mara suffered a narrow defeat. Although the Alliance Party received the most votes, it won only 24 seats, two fewer than the Indo-Fijian-dominated National Federation Party (NFP). One seat was won by the Fijian Nationalist Party, with the remaining seat going to an independent candidate, Osea Gavidi.

Although the NFP emerged as the largest party, Governor-General George Cakobau asked Mara to form a new government, claiming that he had the support of the majority of the House. The new government remained in office until early elections in September the same year.

  1. ^ Nohlen, D, Grotz, F & Hartmann, C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p653 ISBN 0-19-924959-8