The Party System
The party system is a dominating influence on parliamentary government in Fiji. There are at present five major parties represented in the Fiji Parliament - the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (STV), the National Federation Party (NFP), the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), the Fiji National United Front (a coalition of Soqosoqo ni Taukei ni Vanua and the Fijian Nationalists Party) and the General Voters Party (GVP).
Parliamentary party meetings have no formal status in the parliamentary system, but party members tend to vote or act in Parliament in accordance with decisions made at their meetings. Where a party controls the government, members attending party meetings include the Cabinet ministers who, as important members of the party, may influence the results of discussions. The decisions reached are often made as recommendations to Cabinet. Party meetings of a government frequently become the basis of informal contact between Cabinet Ministers and the remainder of the party.
