FEO Office.

As Fiji gears up for the 2026 General Election, no formal applications have been submitted to register new political parties.

Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa confirms that while 30 party names are reserved, the official registration process for any new parties has not begun.

She says the registration window remains open but will close once the election writ is issued.

The Supervisor of Elections explains that the 30 reserved names include applications dating back to 2022.
However, formal registration for these parties remains pending.

“In terms of applications that we have received, we have not received any application for a proposed party. However, we have received an application for the reserve of party names. Now, at this very moment, we are looking at 30. That’s 30 reserved names. This is not only from this year or last year. This goes way back to 2022.

Mataiciwa stresses the importance of compliance with the law, noting that even former party members must meet new requirements under any upcoming legislation before registering.

The reservation of the proposed party name is open. But when we are looking at the timeline for registering a proposed political party, at this stage it is open. However, once the date for the general election is issued, it closes down all registration in terms of those that intend to register to become a political party.

Electoral Commissioner Ratu Usaia Ratuvili adds that reserving a party name does not guarantee registration.

“So it’s for them to go back and make sure that they qualify to be registered. So it’s not a matter of 20 new parties on the same map. They still have to qualify as political parties. And that’s the case. Just for any members of any previous political party, they will have to qualify under that legislation. And if the new act comes into force, whatever requirements it has, they have to fulfill that requirement as well.”

With the first possible election writ expected in June 2026, the Fiji Elections Office continues to oversee preparations under the 2013 Constitution.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.