[Photo: FILE]

People First is entering the election race with Party Leader Inia Seruiratu making it clear political differences will not prevent the new party from working with others.

Seruiratu says People First may have its own ideology and priorities, but those differences should not be a barrier if parties can agree on what is in Fiji’s best interest.

“We also have made it very clear that for us it’s about working together with all other political parties. We may have different ideologies, we may have different expectations from the communities and what we want to do but in the end I think we can all agree that we are all here to serve Fiji and we are here to serve every Fijian.”

Seruiratu says Fiji has opportunities that require political parties to look beyond their individual positions and bring their ideas and strengths together.

The comments come just weeks after People First was formally launched, following a registration process that began in January 2025 and was delayed by objections and appeals.

The party is now moving into campaign mode, holding pocket meetings and working to establish branches and networks across communities.

But People First is still developing its election platform.

Seruiratu says the party has ideas but wants to consult voters before finalising its manifesto.

He says the policy direction should reflect the needs and priorities raised by communities.

People First has announced about 15 prospective candidates and is targeting all 55 parliamentary seats.

Seruiratu says some candidates are yet to publicly confirm their candidacies because of employment commitments, but he expects more announcements soon.

He also wants the party to bring more women and young people into Parliament, saying the majority of candidates announced so far are women.

Seruiratu says People First is positioning itself to compete for political power while remaining open to cooperation where its interests and those of other parties converge.