Former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama continues to attract support as a preferred prime minister despite being disqualified from contesting parliamentary elections under Fiji’s 2013 Constitution.
The Centre for Democracy and Dialogue’s (CDD) Wave 1 Fiji National Electoral Opinion Survey, conducted between September and October 2026, found that 6.4 per cent of respondents nationwide named Mr Bainimarama as their preferred prime minister.
The survey revealed particularly strong support among Indo-Fijian respondents, with 11.8 per cent naming him as their preferred choice.
Among iTaukei respondents, the figure stood at 3.9 per cent.
The findings also showed that Mr Bainimarama continued to feature in the preferences of voters across different age groups.
He recorded 7.5 per cent among respondents aged 18 to 24, 5 per cent among those aged 25 to 34 and 7.2 per cent among the 35-to-44 age group.
Among respondents aged 45 to 54, he registered 7.4 per cent, while 5.5 per cent of those aged 55 to 64 named him as their preferred prime minister.
The figure was 5.8 per cent among respondents aged 65 and above.
Geographically, Mr Bainimarama recorded 7.3 per cent among rural respondents, compared with 6.1 per cent in urban areas.
The findings come despite his conviction and imprisonment in 2024, which triggered the eight-year electoral disqualification provision under Section 56(2)(g) of the 2013 Constitution.
The provision prevents a person from contesting parliamentary elections if they have been convicted within the preceding eight years of an offence carrying a maximum penalty of at least 12 months’ imprisonment.
While the survey demonstrates that some Fijians continue to identify Mr Bainimarama as their preferred prime minister, it does not establish whether respondents are aware of his electoral disqualification.
According to CDD, the preferred PM question was deliberately left open ended in order not to unduly influence any respondent’s choice.
