rnment mandatory;
entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was
the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open
voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the
national level

Legal system: based on British system

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: note: armed ethnic Fijian terrorists, led by
George SPEIGHT stormed the Parliament building on 19 May 2000;
ethnic Indo-Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra CHAUDHRY and his
government were held hostage for 56 days; following the attempted
coup, the Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, naval Commodore
Frank BAINIMARAMA declared martial law and dissolved the government
on 29 May 2000; an interim government, headed by interim Prime
Minister Laisenia QARASE, was appointed to serve until a new
constitution was initiated and subsequent elections held; in
November 2000, Fiji's High Court upheld the 1997 constitution and
ruled that Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA remained the president; Justice
Anthony GATES concluded that MARA should recall the pre-May 19th
Parliament and appoint a prime minister to form a new government;
the Fiji Court of Appeals upheld GATES' decision on 1 March 2001; it
ruled that the 1997 constitution had not been abrogated, Parliament
had not been dissolved, only prorogued for six months, and that the
presidency remained vacant since MARA's resignation took effect 15
December 2000; President Ratu Josefa ILOILO reinstated QARASE's
interim government as the caretaker government and elections were
scheduled for August 2001; approximately 23 fluid political parties
are currently jockeying for power

chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILO (since NA 2000); Vice
President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since NA 2000);
Deputy Prime Minister Epeli NAILATIKAU (since NA 2000)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note -there
is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs which consists
of the highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system

elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILO elected president by the Great
Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Leg