The Republic of Fiji Islands (Fiji) held its last legislative elections in May 2006. Commodore Voreque (Frank) Bainimarama came to power in a military coup on 5 December 2006 by deposing the elected government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. This was Fiji’s fourth coup since it gained independence from Britain in 1970. On 4 January 2007, Commodore Bainimarama reinstated Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda (Josefa Iloilo) as President of Fiji. President Iloilo endorsed the military regime and appointed Bainimarama as interim Prime Minister on 5 January 2007.

In April 2009, the interim regime (with President Iloilo’s support) abrogated the Fijian Constitution of 1997 and postponed democratic elections until September 2014. Jane’s Foreign Report characterised this latest crisis in Fiji as the second phase of Bainimarama’s December 2006 coup. This background note provides a timeline of some significant political events in Fiji between April and July 2009, and lists some of the reactions to the crisis by key regional and international actors.

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