Fiji’s former prime minister and incumbent opposition leader Frank Bainimarama has been banned from parliament for three years after making “seditious” remarks and insulting the president.
The Fijian Parliament voted on the decision to terminate Bainimarama on Friday, with Bainimarama being accused of breaching parliamentary privileges.
Bainimarama, Fiji’s longest-serving PM and leader of the FijiFirst party seized power after launching a military coup in 2006 until he was defeated by People’s Alliance party leader Sitiveni Rabuka in December.
People’s Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka gestures during a press conference while counting resumes after the Fijian election in Suva, Fiji, on Dec. 17, 2022. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Government Accused of Setting Out to Destroy Democracy
In a speech to parliament on Monday, Bainimarama launched a divisive attack on the president, the House of Parliament and the new prime minister….