Jobs, wages and the economy are the most frequently mentioned concerns among iTaukei respondents, while Indo-Fijians place greater emphasis on political leadership, integrity and election manifestos, according to a new national survey.
The Centre for Democracy and Dialogue’s (CDD) Wave 1 Fiji National Electoral Opinion Survey, conducted between September and October 2026, reveals differences in the issues raised by Fiji’s two major ethnic communities.
Among 1,035 iTaukei respondents, 22.1 per cent mentioned jobs, wages and the economy, compared with 16.8 per cent of the 550 Indo-Fijian respondents.
However, leadership, integrity and election manifestos were mentioned by 23.1 per cent of Indo-Fijian respondents, compared with 18.9 per cent of iTaukei respondents.
The findings indicate that while economic opportunities and political leadership are important to both communities, the frequency with which respondents mentioned these issues differs.
Education and training also featured more prominently among iTaukei respondents, with 13 per cent identifying the issue compared with 9.4 per cent of Indo-Fijians.
In contrast, drugs, crime and public safety were mentioned by 14.2 per cent of Indo-Fijian respondents, compared with 11.3 per cent of iTaukei respondents.
Healthcare and HIV attracted similar levels of concern, with 11 per cent among iTaukei respondents and 10.5 per cent among Indo-Fijians.
The cost of living and prices were mentioned by 13.2 per cent of Indo-Fijian respondents, placing the issue among their six most frequently cited concerns.
Among iTaukei respondents, infrastructure and basic services featured in the six leading issues at 10.3 per cent.
The findings highlight both shared concerns and differences in the issues raised by the two communities.
The survey percentages represent the weighted proportion of respondents within each ethnic group who mentioned a particular issue, rather than a ranking based on respondents selecting only one priority.
