Fijians vote in election between 2 former coup leaders

Fijians voted Wednesday in an election that pitted two former military coup leaders against each other at a time the nation is trying to recover from a severe economic downturn. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is seeking to extend his 16-year hold on power.
He first seized the top job by force in 2006 and later refashioned himself as a democratic leader by introducing a new constitution and winning elections in 2014 and again – but by a reduced margin – in 2018.
Running against him is Sitiveni Rabuka, who led Fiji’s first military coup in 1987 and later served as an elected prime minister in the 1990s. The Pacific nation of just under 1 million people relies on tourism. When COVID-19 first hit, the industry evaporated overnight and the nation’s economy crashed.
The World Bank estimates the nation’s poverty rate is about 24%.
Fijian authorities said they had enlisted an extra 1,500 police to ensure voting went smoothly. Polls closed at 6 p.m. local time.
Initial results were expected late Wednesday, although a final outcome could take days, especially if no party wins an outright majority.