Fiji Sun spot-on in its articles that General Election results would be close

The closeness of the election results came as no surprise. The Fiji Sun has been reporting on it in its analysis of the election campaign and build-up since the beginning of this year.

The nine political parties contesting the election had split the votes and made it difficult for the major parties to win by an outright majority. While some politicians had criticised the participation of small parties as of nuisance value, we cannot deny them their democratic rights. These small parties demonstrate that we have a vibrant democracy supported by our diversity.

Secondly, the low voter turnout was disappointing, particularly from the younger voters. It contributed to the overall results. Unless we take some concrete action to entice them to participate in the political process, it does not auger well for future elections.

Political parties should conduct their own reviews to determine the reasons for the young voter apathy. What prevented them from turning up to vote? Did the issues raised by the parties in their election manifesto address the interests of the younger voters?

What stood out in this election was the personal attacks against politicians from opponents and the lack of focus on the issues. Many young people today are more interested in issues like education and jobs in the face of rising living costs. Issues like bringing back the Great Council of Chiefs seem irrelevant to them. Come 2026, there will be more young people eligible to vote in the election, so it is important that we must create an environment that makes it worth their while to participate, like going to vote. They need to realise that our democracy is precious, and their participation is vital to its sustainability.

NEMANI DELAIBATIKI

Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj