2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
Bainimarama announced on 6 December that the military had taken control of the government as executive authority in the running of the country. In a speech to the media, he explained the rationale for his coup, accusing Qarase of corruption and of having inflamed tensions between ethnic communities through "divisive" and "controversial" policies:


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
We consider that Fiji has reached a cross roads and that the Government and all those empowered to make decisions in our constitutional democracy are unable to make decisions to  [sic] our people from destruction.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
As of today, the Military has taken over the Government/executive authority / running of this country. [ ...]


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
The RFMF over the years have been raising security concerns with the Government, in particular the introduction of controversial bills, and policies that have divided the nation now and will have very serious consequences to our future generations.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
These concerns have been conveyed to the Prime Minister in all fairness and sincerity with the country’s interest at heart.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
Apparently, all RFMF concerns were never accepted with true spirit. All my efforts to the government were to no avail. Instead, they turned their attention on the RFMF itself. Despite my advice, they tried to remove me and create dissension within the ranks of the RFMF; the institution that stood up and redirected the Nation from the path of doom that the Nation was being led to in 2000. Qarase has already conducted a 'silent coup' through bribery, corruption and introduction of controversial Bill. [ ...]


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
Our position can be differentiated from the Qarase Government which for example through the passing of the Reconciliation, Qoliqoli and Land Claims will undermine the Constitution, will deprive many citizens of their rights a  [sic] guaranteed under the Constitution and compromise and undermine the integrity of the Constitutional Offices including the Judiciary. [ ...]


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
When the country is stable and the Electoral Rolls and other machineries of Elections have been properly reviewed and amended, elections will be held. We trust that the new government will lead us into peace and prosperity and mend the ever widening racial divide that currently besets our multicultural nation.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Coup and deposition of the government
Bainimarama dismissed a number of public servants, at least some of whom refused to cooperate with his regime, including:  President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes, Acting Police Commissioner Moses Driver, Assistant Police Commissioner Kevueli Bulamainaivalu, Public Service Commission chairman Stuart Huggett and chief executive Anare Jale, Solicitor General Nainendra Nand, Prime Minister's Office chief executive Jioji Kotobalavu, and the Supervisor of Elections Semesa Karavaki.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fijian response to the coup
Unlike the 2000 coup, which was marked by looting and burning of businesses, no significant protests or violence have occurred on Fiji during this coup.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fijian response to the coup
The army did not gain the support of several key bodies. The Great Council of Chiefs, on 7 December, called the coup illegal and called upon soldiers to "leave the barracks and return home to your people" The President of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma led a delegation to visit and support the Prime Minister while he was under effective house arrest. The Archbishop of the Anglican Church issued a statement opposing the coup.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fijian response to the coup
Churches took out newspaper ads including one quoting Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu, president of the Fiji Council of Churches, saying "We are deeply convinced that the move now taken by the commander and his advisers is the manifestation of darkness and evil". Roman Catholic Archbishop Petero Mataca took a more nuanced position, however. In a letter to the Fiji Sun on 10 December, he condemned the coup, but also claimed that the government had pursued policies that had led to it. Part of this statement was quoted in Fiji Village on 12 December.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fijian response to the coup
On 7 December 300 villagers blocked the entrance to Tavualevu Village, in response to a rumor that the military was coming to arrest Ratu Ovini Bokini, Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs. The army quickly denied the rumor. Most government ministries had a full turn out at work, except for certain CEOs, and parliament workers were reportedly offered positions elsewhere in government.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fijian response to the coup
Bainimarama told a press conference on 15 December that he would agree to attend a forthcoming meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs, the feudal body empowered to choose the country's President, Vice-President, and 14 of the 32 Senators, only in his capacity as President of the Republic, the Fiji Sun reported. Told that the Great Council still recognized Ratu Josefa Iloilo as President, he said that in that case he would boycott the meeting. He also condemned the Great Council's invitation to deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, saying that Qarase would not be allowed to return to Suva to attend the meeting.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fiji's interim government
Fiji's newly appointed caretaker prime minister, Jona Senilagakali, a 77-year-old military doctor, was sworn in on 5 December to replace former prime minister Laisenia Qarase. The figurehead appointee said he had no choice but to take the job after being ordered to do so by military chief Voreqe Bainimarama. Fresh democratic elections in Fiji could however be "12 months to two years" away, Senilagakali said.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fiji's interim government
Announcing he had toppled the elected government and taken control on 5 December, Bainimara said he was assuming the presidency until the following week when the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) would reappoint President Ratu Josefa Iloilo who would then have the authority to appoint an interim government. However, the GCC slammed Bainimarama's "illegal, unconstitutional" activities and cancelled their planned meeting the following week, indicating that they were not keen to meet following the turbulent events of this week. This posed a potential obstacle to coup leaders who are meanwhile advertising for candidates for posts in the interim government.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fiji's interim government
On 14 December, Bainimarama declared that his interim government could rule for 50 years if the Great Council of Chiefs continued to hold off appointing a new president of Fiji, who would swear in a military-backed government. Bainimarama also dismissed Adi Litia Qionibaravi as head of the Fijian Affairs Board which convenes meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs. The Great Council did meet in the third week of December, but failed to persuade the Military to relinquish power. It proposed the formation of an interim government representing all major political and social factions in Fiji, but this was rejected by the Military, which announced on 27 December that the Great Council would be banned from holding further meetings, except with Military approval, until further notice.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Iloilo restored; Bainimarama appointed Prime Minister
On 4 January 2007, Bainimarama restored Ratu Josefa Iloilo to the Presidency. The President made a broadcast endorsing the actions of the military. The next day, Iloilo formally appointed Bainimarama as the interim Prime Minister, indicating that the military was still effectively in control. An interim Cabinet was subsequently appointed.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Iloilo restored; Bainimarama appointed Prime Minister
Reaction to the appointment was mixed. The National Alliance Party of Ratu Epeli Ganilau (a former Military commander) welcomed the appointment, as did Himat Lodhia, of the Fiji Chamber of Commerce, and Felix Anthony, general secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Council. Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry was more inclined to reserve judgement, while deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase condemned the appointment, saying it amounted to establishing a military dictatorship.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Iloilo restored; Bainimarama appointed Prime Minister
United Peoples Party leader Mick Beddoes also criticized it, as did Pramod Rae, general secretary of the National Federation Party, who said that Bainimarama's dual positions of Prime Minister and Military commander created a conflict of interest. Fiji Law Society president Devanesh Sharma described the appointment as unconstitutional, while Winston Peters, New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, also condemned it as a "charade" that would fool nobody.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
There has been considerable international concern about the situation in Fiji, and active involvement by other governments to try to prevent a coup. The Australian and New Zealand governments and media in particular have strongly condemned the coup.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
In November, an eminent persons group of Pacific Foreign Ministers was formed to try to defuse the situation. On 28 November, the New Zealand Government brought Qarase to New Zealand in order to negotiate with Bainimarama, at a meeting hosted by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters. No agreement was reached. Bainimarama later warned the New Zealand and Australian Governments that any military intervention would be strongly repelled.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
The New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters described the current crisis as a coup and a "creeping siege on democratic institutions". New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said that the Fijian constitution only allowed the President to request the dissolving of Parliament if the Prime Minister no longer had the confidence of the Parliament and that this was clearly not the case. The New Zealand Government has also stated those taking part in the coup will be banned from entry to New Zealand, and that military ties, aid and sporting contacts will be cut. Helen Clark has said in the NZ Herald that she would consider sanctions against Fiji.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said that the military were "slowly trying to take control" and pressure the PM to resign. Other notable Australians have also commented on the situation such as the then Australian Prime Minister John Howard.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
The United States suspended $2.5 million in aid money pending a review of the situation. The United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Nations have all expressed concern at the situation, with Kofi Annan having made a public statement and personally spoken to both President Iloilo and Prime Minister Qarase.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
On 10 December, the International Federation of Netball Associations announced that Fiji, which had been scheduled to host the 2007 Netball World Championships, had been stripped of its hosting rights as a direct result of the coup.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
The Commonwealth suspended Fiji's membership on 8 December 2006. Its Secretary General, Don McKinnon, has stated that Bainimarama should resign and that the coup is a total violation of Commonwealth principles. After failing to meet a Commonwealth deadline for setting national elections by 2010 Fiji was "fully suspended" on 1 September 2009.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, International response to the crisis
In 2008, after New Zealand refused to grant a study visa to the son of a Fijian government official due to the postponement of elections, Fiji expelled New Zealand's acting high commissioner to Fiji. In response, New Zealand expelled Fiji's high commissioner to New Zealand.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Censorship
On 5 December 2006, Fiji's largest newspaper, the Fiji Times, refused to publish the next day's edition, citing military interference. Soldiers had occupied the premises and warned against publishing "propaganda" from the deposed government. The soldiers had insisted on monitoring news content and demanded approval rights for editorial material, as well as access to news sources. The Daily Post also reported receiving military threats and has since been closed since the coup began. Following this event, Fiji TV, under pressure from the military, pulled its late evening news bulletin from the air.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Censorship
Fiji TV announced it would not run any more news bulletins until it was satisfied the army would not interfere in its content. It was reported that the military entered the premises of state radio station Fiji Broadcasting Corporation; due to reported military scrutiny of its news scripts the radio station has closed down.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Censorship
On 6 December, the military allowed Fiji Times Limited to resume publication without any interference from its armed forces.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Censorship
In March 2008, the publisher of the Fiji Sun, Australian citizen Russell Hunter, was deported on the orders of the interim Defense Minister, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, who claimed that Hunter was a threat to "national security". Opponents of the military-backed government claim that it was a blatant attempt to intimidate the media.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Bainimarama's stated justification for the coup, regarding the long-term aims of the interim government, has been to "lead us into peace and prosperity and mend the ever widening racial divide that currently besets our multicultural nation". Above all else, he has emphasised the need to root out racially discriminatory legislation and attitudes, and emphasise the common national belonging of Fiji's citizens, above any form of ethnic self-identification.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007, he stated:


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
[ I]n 1970, Fiji started its journey as a young nation on a rather shaky foundation, with a race-based Constitution, one which rigidly compartmentalised our communities. The 'democracy' which came to be practised in Fiji was marked by divisive, adversarial, inward-looking, race-based politics. The legacy of leadership, at both community and national levels, was a fractured nation. Fiji's people were not allowed to share a common national identity.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Of the two major communities, indigenous Fijians were instilled with fear of dominance and dispossession by Indo-Fijians, and they desired protection of their status as the indigenous people. Indo-Fijians, on the other hand, felt alienated and marginalised, as second-class citizens in their own country, the country of their birth, Fiji. [ ...]


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
[P]olicies which promote racial supremacy [...] must be removed once and for all. [ ...] Fiji will look at making the necessary legal changes in the area of electoral reform, to ensure true equality at the polls. [ ...] [E]very person will be given the right to vote for only one candidate, irrespective of race or religion.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Fiji's race-based electoral system would be replaced by a "one citizen, one vote" system with no ethnic differentiation. This was to be achieved, he declared, through a People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress, the stated aim of which was to "rebuild Fiji into a non-racial, culturally-vibrant and united, well-governed, truly democratic nation that seeks progress, and prosperity through merit-based equality of opportunity, and peace".


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Jon Fraenkel and Stewart Firth have described the 2006 coup as "a coup of the radicals amongst the westernized elite, who sought to superimpose a national consensus upon a divided social order", "a coup of utopians seeking to transcend, rather than mould, social forces that they deemed responsible for long-run ethnic disquiet and poor governance".


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
Hamish McDonald, interviewing Bainimarama for the Sydney Morning Herald in October 2007, described it as "a revolution against the country's chiefly and church establishment". He quoted Bainimarama's criticism of the chiefly provincial councils, for allegedly dictating to indigenous citizens whom they should vote for, and of the Methodist Church, for allegedly encouraging indigenous "hatred" against Indo-Fijians.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Long term aims
A new constitution was adopted in 2013 and the first elections after the coup were held in September 2014 with Bainimarama's party winning a majority.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
Jona Senilagakali, after being appointed Prime Minister, stated that he thought that the military coup constituted an illegal act, though a lesser illegal act when compared to the rule of the previous government.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
It is legally unclear whether removal of a government with the consent of the President would constitute a coup, as that term is usually understood. According to the Constitution of Fiji, under certain conditions if a state of emergency is declared, the President will be able to legally appoint an interim government. However, it is uncertain that the President chose of his free will to remove the Prime Minister, rather than simply appearing to accede to the demands of the military. In 2007, following the military coup, six Australian and New Zealand judges resigned from the court.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
They were replaced by two Malaysian judges, "with more appointments from Asia expected to follow soon". The legality of the actions of the military was subject to review by a High Court in 2008 and the Court of Appeals in 2009, the consensus of legal opinion was that the actions of the Fijian military constituted an illegal act.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
On 18 January 2007, President Iloilo signed a decree granting the Commander and all military personnel, along with all officers and members of the police force, prison officers, and all who served the interim government formed after the coup, immunity from all criminal, civil, legal or military disciplinary or professional proceedings or consequences. The decree was published in a government gazette.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
Tupou Draunidalo, Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society, denounced the decree as illegal. Ousted Prime Minister Qarase also lambasted it as hypocritical, saying that as opposing a proposed amnesty for perpetrators of the 2000 coup was one of the reasons given by the Military for carrying out this coup, it was inconsistent to grant themselves immunity.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Initial uncertainties
In March 2008, Fiji's High Court began proceedings on the case brought by deposed prime minister Lasenia Qarase, who has asked the courts to rule on the legality of the military takeover. The Bainimarama government's lawyers have submitted that the court lacks jurisdiction to question President Iloilo's decision to appoint the interim government. Qarase's lawyers have countered by suggesting that the court should consider whether the invocation of the doctrine of necessity in the overthrow of the Qarase government was justifiable.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, High Court ruling on the legality of the coup
On 9 October 2008, the High Court delivered its ruling on the case submitted by Qarase, regarding the legality of the interim government. The Court found that President Ratu Josefa Iloilo had acted lawfully when he had appointed Bainimarama as prime minister.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, High Court ruling on the legality of the coup
Following the ruling, Fiji’s interim attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, called upon Australia, New Zealand, the European Union and the United States to lift the sanctions they had imposed on the country, stating that they could no longer refuse to recognise the interim government.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Appeal Court ruling against the coup's legality
On 9 April 2009, the Fiji Court of Appeal ruled that the coup had not been legal and that the "only appropriate course of action at the present time is for elections to be held to enable Fiji to get a fresh start." Bainimarama responded to the ruling by saying that he was giving up his post as prime minister. Following the ruling the President of Fiji suspended the country's constitution and removed all judges from office.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
Following the military coup which ousted Laisenia Qarase's government in December 2006, the "interim government" led by coup leader Frank Bainimarama received unexpected support from the Fiji Human Rights Commission (FHRC) and its chairwoman Shaista Shameem. The latter agreed with Commodore Bainimarama's expressed views regarding Prime Minister Qarase's allegedly racist and divisive policies. In 2007, the FHRC commissioned an inquiry into the 2006 general election (which had seen Qarase re-elected as prime minister), intended to reveal whether it had truly been "free and fair".


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
The Commission of Inquiry delivered a report which "identifie[d] deficiencies and anomalies at every stage of the election process". More specifically, the report stated that Indo-Fijian voters were provided with incorrect information regarding the voting process, that they were mis-registered in their constituencies to a far greater extent than other voters, and that, as an ethnic group, they faced specific impediments to voting (such as an absence of voting slips required for Indo-Fijian voters) in key marginal constituencies. There was also evidence of ballot boxes having been tampered with. Dr. David Neilson, a member of the Commission of Inquiry, wrote:


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
The registration process was both inadequate and biased and submissions strongly indicate campaigning involved deliberate and explicit vote-buying near polling day by the SDL party in league with the broader state. [ ...] The evidence does not provide systematic quantitative proof regarding the extent to which bias and vote-rigging altered the election outcome. But it provides a strong prima facie case that the elections clearly fell short of "free and fair".


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
Neilsen's claims were subsequently challenged by one of the 2006 election observers, who claimed that the New Zealand political economist had 'failed to understand' the mechanics of Fiji's electoral process. David Arms, who serves as a member of the Electoral Commission under Bainimarama's government, described the Neilsen/Lala/Vakatale report as weak and claimed that there was "undue haste in its preparation" (Arms, 'A Critique of the Report of the Independent Assessment of the Electoral Process in Fiji', 31 July 2007). The report was commissioned by ex Fiji Human Rights Commission director Shaista Shameem, who had publicly backed the military takeover.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
According to Arms, Dr Neilsen and his colleagues reached the verdict that the 2006 result had been 'rigged' mainly on the basis of evidence gleaned at public hearings, without any independent effort to verify the accuracy of the allegations. Arms' report states that most of those who showed up at the hearings had an axe to grind. They were defeated candidates or supporters of political parties that had performed poorly at the polls. Dr Nelsen's only evidence of electoral fraud had to do with alleged bias in the treatment of Indian voters' registration slips. However, election observer and Fiji-specialising academic Jon Fraenkel claimed that Dr Neilsen's claims were false:


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
I was a University of the South Pacific election observer during the 2006 election. Early in election week, the problem of officials finding the names of voters on one roll, but not on the other, became apparent and much discussed. I personally raised this with the Fiji Elections Office, and was told that – although the colour-coded registration slips handed out to voters at the time of registration were often in error, the electoral rolls themselves were not.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
Over the following days of election week, I tested this claim by requesting presiding officers in the polling stations to show me their logbook records of voters who had been able to cast only one vote because their name could not be found in a corresponding open or communal constituency. In every case I checked, the Elections Office was correct: it was possible for presiding officers, if they ignored the registration slips, to use any one correct entry on the electoral roll to find the other.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Question of legality / immunity from prosecution, Questioning the initial legitimacy of Qarase's government
In other words, the problem lay with the registration officials and with the training of polling station officials. It was not an indication of systemic bias or ballot-rigging. In any case, during the final days of election week, in somewhat chaotic circumstances, the Fiji Elections Office effectively dispensed with the electoral rolls as a means of avoiding duplicate voting and allowed citizens whose name was found on one roll to cast a second vote on a corresponding open or communal roll, even if their name could not be found. From that point, prevention of duplicate voting depended solely on reference to the ink marked on voters' fingers'.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Return to democratic elections in 2014
In 2009, Iloilo was replaced as President by Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Return to democratic elections in 2014
Elections to parliament were originally scheduled for March 2009, but it was not held then because politicians could not agree to the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress. Between 2009 and 2014 many public announcements and requests were made and on 23 March 2014 the interim government announced the election would be held on 17 September 2014.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Return to democratic elections in 2014
The 2014 Fijian general election was held on 17 September 2014. The elections were to be held under the new constitution. Bainimarama's FijiFirst party won with 59.2% of the vote, and the election was deemed credible by international observers.


2006 Fijian coup d'état, Return to democratic elections in 2014
On 22 September 2014, Bainimarama was sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Fiji by the President, Epeli Nailatikau after his party won the general elections.


2006 Fijian general election
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The last election before Fiji's 2014 election was held on 6–13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament. The previous parliamentary term had been due to expire on 1 October 2006.


2006 Fijian general election
The Writ of Elections was issued on 28 March; candidates filed their nominations on 11 April and published their preference lists on the 13th, while voter registration closed on 4 April.


2006 Fijian general election
Vote counting began on 15 May, with the results, a narrow victory for the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) Party, announced on the 18th. Following the election, the President was required to summon the new House of Representatives not later than 12 June.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics
Depending on ideological, demographic, and electoral factors, parties may seek to consolidate their position in communal constituencies (reserved by ethnicity) by forging alliances with other parties appealing to the same ethnic group, or improve their position in open constituencies (elected by universal suffrage) by entering into alliances with parties that appeal to different ethnic groups. There are 46 communal constituencies (23 reserved for indigenous Fijians, 19 for Indo-Fijians, 1 for Rotuman Islanders, and 3 for minorities such as Caucasians, Chinese, and Banaban Islanders), and 25 open constituencies.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
A record of 25 parties had registered for the 2006 election, as of early March. Most of the major parties led by indigenous Fijians have formed a coalition, tentatively known as the Grand Coalition Initiative Group, in an attempt to consolidate the indigenous vote; the coalition appears certain to be dominated by the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), which the nucleus of the present ruling coalition of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. (A smaller party, the Conservative Alliance (CAMV) was part of the ruling coalition and of the Grand Coalition, but was dissolved and merged into the SDL in early March).


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
On the other hand, intense rivalry between the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) of former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and the National Federation Party, the two main parties with significant Indo-Fijian support, appears to make any alliance between them problematic. Both have expressed interest in forming a multi-racial alliance with the National Alliance Party (NAPF) of Ratu Epeli Ganilau (an avowedly multiracial party) and the United Peoples Party (UPP) of Mick Beddoes, which appeals mostly to minority groups.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
On 16 October, the UPP announced that negotiations to form an electoral pact with the FLP had been concluded, and the decision to go ahead had been endorsed by the UPP executive the day before. On 2 December, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to draw up a joint manifesto and to exchange preferences, but leaving both parties free to contest any or all of the 71 seats separately, or to field joint candidates by mutual agreement. The memorandum also left open the possibility of other parties joining the coalition.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
SDL Executive Director Jale Baba had earlier said that the deal between the FLP and the UPP had been expected, and that the SDL did not see it as a threat. He also said that it was possible that the SDL might form partnerships with parties not involved with the Grand Coalition.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
Consultations have also taken place between both parties and the NAPF, with Ganilau announcing on 17 October that a decision on whether or not to forge an electoral pact with the FLP and UPP would be announced after a meeting of party executives. On 29 November, however, he said that the NAPF wanted to keep its options open and would hold negotiations with all political parties, including the SDL, before reaching a final decision.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Coalition politics
The Party of National Unity (PANU), which was re-registered in January 2006 following its dissolution a few months earlier, announced on 27 January that it would be giving its first preference to the FLP, and would also cooperate with the NAPF and the UPP. PANU, a multi-racial party based in Ba Province, had previously aligned itself with the FLP-dominated People's Coalition in the 1999 election.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Crossing the faultline
The two major political parties, the SDL and the FLP, are both attempting to break out of their ethnic cocoons. The SDL, which presently has only one Indo-Fijian in its Parliamentary caucus and attracted less than one percent of the Indo-Fijian vote in 2001, has announced that it will contest all 19 communal constituencies reserved for Indo-Fijians, with General Secretary Jale Baba saying that the party is "confident" of winning most of them. The FLP, for its part, is hoping to win some of the 23 communal seats reserved for indigenous Fijians for the first time. Although founded in the mid-1980s by Timoci Bavadra, an indigenous Fijian, it lost most of its indigenous support in the 1990s and attracted barely two percent of the indigenous vote in 2001, which saw only two indigenous candidates elected on the FLP ticket, neither from a Fijian communal constituency.


2006 Fijian general election, Election characterized by ethnic politics, Crossing the faultline
Both parties have expressed optimism about their gambits, with Prime Minister Qarase saying on Radio Sargam (affiliated to Fiji Village) on 5 October that the SDL expected to win an absolute majority in the 71-member House of Representatives, and regarded as many as 50 seats as a real possibility.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes spoke out on 30 September to call on politicians to avoid using hate speech in the run-up to the election. He said the police would prosecute anyone who appealed for votes on the basis of hate or fear.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
United Peoples Party leader Mick Beddoes similarly called on party leaders to exert better control over members making public statements, while Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua General Secretary Jale Baba said that the making of hate speeches by any member of the party would never be tolerated.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
On 26 November 2005, Electoral Commission Chairman Graeme Leung proposed a Code of Conduct prohibiting political parties from using inflammatory language, and from appealing to racial, religious, regional, or gender divisions. False and defamatory allegations would be banned, as would calls inciting violence or hatred. Disruption of meetings and political rallies would also be proscribed. Leung called on all political parties to adopt the code of conduct and said that ideally, it should be enshrined in legislation. Many politicians welcomed the proposed code, with FLP Deputy Leader Poseci Bune calling it long overdue.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Mick Beddoes supported it also, but cautioned that it would work only if persons breaching it were disciplined for doing do. Cabinet Minister Simione Kaitani, while endorsing the proposal in general, said the prohibition against appealing to racial divisions was "unrealistic," as politics was based to such a great extent on race. National Alliance Party President Ratu Epeli Ganilau also welcomed the code of conduct and called for legislation to effect it, but said it would be hard to enforce it.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Calls for restrained language have not always been heeded. Closer to the election, the main political leaders traded accusations of "terrorism." Prime Minister Qarase called Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry a "terrorist" on 15 February 2006, for allegedly using his travels abroad to discredit the government and discourage investment. According to the Fiji Sun, he was responding to claims made by Chaudhry at the FLP campaign launch in Ba Town on the 11th that the government itself was full of terrorists, but said that he would not be suing Chaudhry because he did not want to "waste time" on him.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Chaudhry then reacted by saying that the Qarase government was full of terrorists. "There are people in his Government, ministers, who have been convicted of offences relating to the May 2000 coup," he said. He claimed that Qarase had won the 2001 elections by vote-buying and by hiding from the voters the role that many of his candidates had allegedly played in the 2000 coup.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Also on the 15th, Fiji Television quoted the Prime Minister as saying that Chaudhry was "unstable" and unfit to lead the country.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Speaking to Fiji Live on 16 February, the Prime Minister challenged Chaudhry to produce the evidence for his allegations that there are terrorists serving in the government; if such proof existed, he should refer it to the police. He reiterated that he did not want to waste time pursuing the matter legally.


2006 Fijian general election, Calls for restraint in rhetoric
Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announced on 2006-03-01 that the 2006 general elections would be held in the second week of May from the 6th to the 13th.


2006 Fijian general election, Demographic changes
Fiji Television reported on 26 January 2006 that electoral registration of Indo-Fijians was down by more than twelve percent on 2001 figures, reflecting the high rate of emigration from that community. Although guaranteed 19 communal constituencies, the latest statistics would make it more difficult for Indo-Fijian-dominated parties to win many of the 25 open constituencies, which are elected by universal suffrage, the report said.


2006 Fijian general election, Demographic changes
Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi expressed concern about this trend on 8 February, saying that it would lead to electoral disparity, and Robbie Robertson, Professor and Director of Development Studies at the University of the South Pacific, said that the Indo-Fijian share of the electorate this year would be only 40 percent of the total voting population, an all-time low.


2006 Fijian general election, Demographic changes
Military spokesman Captain Neumi Leweni said on 19 February that the election should be postponed until a national census could be conducted. He reiterated earlier concerns about redrawing electoral boundaries when no census had been conducted, saying that compromised the fairness of the election. Constituency Boundaries Commission Chairman Barry Sweetman, however, said that the Military should have raised the matter while the committee was taking submissions. There has been no census since 1996; the one due in 2006 has been postponed till 2007 because of the elections.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
Some politicians have alleged that there have been irregularities in the process of the registration of voters in the leadup to the election.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
United Peoples Party leader Mick Beddoes alleged in September 2005 that persons of multiracial ancestry were being encouraged by electoral officials to register on the indigenous communal roll, rather than the General Electors' roll. While the Constitution empowers persons of multiple ethnic origins to decide for themselves what roll to choose, Beddoes said that officials were providing prospective voters with registration forms only for the indigenous and Indo-Fijian rolls, not the General Electors' one. He repeated the allegation in March 2006, according to a Fiji Times report on 9 March.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
General electors and even Indo-Fijians with some distant indigenous ancestry were being asked to register as indigenous voters, on the bases of false claims that doing so would entitle them to membership of the Native Land Register, he alleged. Elections Supervisor Semesa Karavaki rejected Beddoes's allegations, saying that people with any indigenous ancestry were constitutionally entitled to register as such, and at any rate, many of Beddoes's examples were spurious. He said that some that Beddoes had identified as "General Electors" mis-enrolled as indigenous Fijians were, in fact, full-blooded Fijians married to General Electors and using their husbands' names.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
Fiji Labour Party (FLP) leader Mahendra Chaudhry has alleged that multiple irregularities have arisen in the enrollment of Indo-Fijians. In some areas, he said, none had been able to register, elderly and disabled members of the community had been told they did not need to register; some had been registered for the wrong constituencies, while others had been wrongly recorded with their given names and surnames reversed, rendering the registration invalid. On 6 October, he called for the registration process to be halted and begun again from scratch.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
He wondered aloud whether the irregularities were a deliberate ploy to reduce the numbers of Indo-Fijians enrolled for the 2006 election. This would not affect the number of communal seats held by Indo-Fijians, which is constitutionally fixed at 19, but could have an effect on the results in the 25 open constituencies elected by universal suffrage.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
FLP parliamentarian Vijay Singh threatened on 28 January 2006 that if alleged errors in voter registration were not put right, his party would take legal action to prevent elections from taking place in particular constituencies. The threat of legal action was reiterated by Mahendra Chaudhry on 2 February. Singh alleged that in his own Vuda Open Constituency, numerous voters had been wrongly registered in other constituencies. Registration was down on 2001 figures, but the population of the electorate had increased, he maintained.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
SDL Campaign Director Jale Baba alleged on 30 January that the FLP had deliberately urged its supporters to delay registering, in order to manipulate the Boundaries Commission, an assertion rejected as false by FLP Parliamentarian Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi. To the contrary, the FLP had been urging its supporters to register, he said. He complained, however, that registration was being carried out before constituency boundaries had been finalized, which he said was illegal under the Electoral Act.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
The Elections Office revealed on 1 February that a total of 1628 duplicate registrations had been detected. No less than 317 of these were of persons aged under 21 and therefore disqualified from voting. The Fiji Labour Party said that the discovery of such irregularities came as no surprise, while United Peoples Party President Mick Beddoes said it called the electoral enrollment process into question, and called for independent organizers to be brought in to ensure that the process was fair.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
Electoral Commission Chairman Graeme Leung had announced in late November 2005 that identity cards for voters were being prepared, to discourage voter impersonation. The card will record the voter's name and date of birth. The decision was not universally welcomed. People's National Party leader Meli Bogileka said that the whole purpose of identity cards would be defeated if electors without them were allowed to vote, and considered their introduction a waste of money. SDL executive member Navitalai Naisoro said that Fijian people were not used to identity cards, and that the system would not be readily accepted. Leung agreed that acceptance of the changes would take time.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities
The FLP and the National Alliance Party (NAPF) both claimed on 27 February 2006 that numerous irregularities persisted, including the registration of voters in wrong constituencies. FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry said he believed this was deliberate.


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities, Commission of Inquiry in 2007
Following the military coup which ousted Laisenia Qarase's government in December 2006, the "interim government" led by coup leader Frank Bainimarama received unexpected support from the Fiji Human Rights Commission (FHRC) and its chairwoman Dr. Shaista Shameem. The latter agreed with Commodore Bainimarama's expressed views regarding Prime Minister Qarase's allegedly racist and divisive policies. In 2007, the FHRC commissioned an inquiry into the 2006 general election, intended to reveal whether it had truly been "free and fair".


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities, Commission of Inquiry in 2007
The Commission of Inquiry delivered a report which "identifie[d] deficiencies and anomalies at every stage of the election process". More specifically, the report stated that Indo-Fijian voters were provided with incorrect information regarding the voting process, that they were mis-registered in their constituencies to a far greater extent than other voters, and that, as an ethnic group, they faced specific impediments to voting (such as an absence of voting slips required for Indo-Fijian voters) in key marginal constituencies. There was also evidence of ballot boxes having been tampered with. Dr. David Neilson, a member of the Commission of Inquiry, wrote:


2006 Fijian general election, Enrollment and electoral irregularities, Commission of Inquiry in 2007
This prompted the Labour Party to state that the SDL had "cheated its way into power through electoral fraud and massive vote buying schemes".


2006 Fijian general election, International observers
Prime Minister Qarase revealed on 2 February 2006 that he would be inviting observers from the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, and possibly other organizations, to monitor the forthcoming elections.


2006 Fijian general election, Electoral boundary adjustments
A major issue to be resolved ahead of the election was that of constituency boundaries. With the constitution requiring the 25 open constituencies and 29 of the 46 communal constituencies to be substantially equal in population, the Constituency Boundaries Commission, chaired by Barrie Sweetman, explored possible changes. Time constraints made the matter an urgent one, he said on 21 November. The elections office also revealed that any changes to electoral boundaries would require a reregistration of all voters affected, further complicating the exercise. A final decision was expected by the end of November 2005, but this was delayed.


2006 Fijian general election, Electoral boundary adjustments
Sweetman announced on 6 February 2006 that with the elections so close, boundaries might not be changed at all. Unless there was pressure from political parties, the commission would meet in the next week to decide the matter, he said.


2006 Fijian general election, Electoral boundary adjustments
The Commission ruled on 24 February that there would be no changes to electoral boundaries, citing lack of time before the forthcoming elections. Changes could be made only following a census, the last of which was held in 1996; current population data was too old, Sweetman said. The commission called for a review of census laws, suggesting an interval of five years rather than the current ten.


2006 Fijian general election, Parties contesting the election
By 13 March 2006, a total of 24 parties had registered to contest the election. This list included some newcomers, as well as some parties that had been deregistered and subsequently reregistered. These included the Coalition of Independent Nationals (COIN), which applied for reregistration on 13 March.


2006 Fijian general election, The campaign
Controversy erupted early in March 2006, with the ruling SDL being criticized by some for distributing funds, through the Duavata Initiative Trust, to needy people, allegedly in an attempt to buy votes. Campaign coordinator Jale Baba told Fiji Live that the charity was not bribery and that the party had, in fact, been raising money for the poor since 2002. On 8 March, Director of Public Prosecutions Josaia Naigulevu and Commissioner of Police Andrew Hughes confirmed to the Fiji Times that the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) had lodged a complaint about the scheme, and that police were looking into it.


2006 Fijian general election, The campaign
Prime Minister Qarase was reported by Fiji Television on 6 March 2006 as saying that the economy had performed well under his government's stewardship, and that citizens could expect further strong economic growth and increased wages if his government was returned to office.


2006 Fijian general election, The campaign
On 7 March, University of the South Pacific (USP) Vice-Chancellor Anthony Tarr found himself fending off criticism from Fiji Labour Party (FLP) President Jokapeci Koroi for accepting an invitation to address the public launch of the Grand Coalition Initiative Group on 10 March. He rejected Koroi's claims that it was inappropriate for him to be seen to be siding with a coalition promoting racial politics and that if he had thought there were any such connotations to the invitation, he would not have accepted it.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations
In addition to the political parties contesting the election, a number of organizations have expressed an intense interest in its conduct and outcome.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, The Military in the background
The outspoken Military Commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama initially opposed the early election date, saying that the registration and enrollment process was not complete and that no election should be held without a census preceding it. He conceded, however, that it was too late to hold a census now; it should have been held two years ago, he said. On another issue, his spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Orisi Rabukawaqa said that the Military was still opposed to the controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, and warned the government against trying to reintroduce it should it win the elections.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, The Military in the background
SDL campaign coordinator spoke out on 3 March to condemn Bainimarama's stated intention to discourage soldiers and their relatives and friends from voting for political parties and candidates that he termed "racist" and "discriminatory." He challenged Bainimarama to contest the election himself if he wanted to participate in politics. "If the good commander is passionate and is a man of integrity, he should resign and contest the next elections. That is the proper and legal form for leaders with a vision to articulate their vision for or against them," Baba told Fiji Television. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also criticized the Commander. In an interview with ABC Television reported by Fiji Live on 3 March, Downer reiterated earlier opposition to Military interference in politics.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, The Military in the background
Bainimarama said on 9 March that the Military would support any government that was elected, but would not necessarily support its program. He condemned claims that a vote for the FLP would be a vote for instability, saying that such "lies" came from the same "opportunists" who had attempted the 2000 coup. He urged Fijian citizens to vote for candidates on the basis of their policies, rather than their ethnicities. "Don't choose a party just because it's a Fijian party. Choose an Indian or Chinese if his policies are for your benefit," Fiji Live quoted him as saying.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
On 10 March, the Fiji Village news service quoted Bainimarama as saying that the Military was about to launch a campaign to inform the population about how certain SDL policies allegedly contravened the Constitution. "My senior officers and I agreed in a meeting last week that the army should inform the people of Fiji of what happened in 2000," he said. "We will use the media, we will go into villages and tell them the real truth of what happened and what is being done. There is no strong leadership in the Government to say 'do the right thing'.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
By not having programmes to educate people that what happened in 2000 was wrong, we will continue to live in an area of instability like that of 2000," he declared. He accused the government of deliberately misleading the population: "By not educating the people about doing what is right, it is willfully lying and misleading them," he alleged. Ropate Sivo, General Secretary of the Conservative Alliance (who is resisting the decision of the party to dissolve) condemned the Commander's comments, saying that he was "only hungry for power."


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
Military spokesman Captain Neumi Leweni reacted angrily on 13 March to the dismissal on the 9th of talk show host Sitiveni Raturala from the state-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBCL). An interview Raturala had conducted with Bainimarama had breached his contract, FBCL Chief Executive Officer Francis Herman said. Leweni charged that the government had had a hand in the dismissal, and warned against any attempts to muzzle the media in the leadup to the election. Leweni was supported by Ema Druavesi, General Secretary of the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT), which ruled Fiji throughout most of the 1990s.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
The same day, another Military spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Orisi Rabukawaqa, said that the campaign was not anti-government or anti-any particular party. It was all about persuading the electorate to vote on the basis of conscience rather than race, the Fiji Times quoted him as saying.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
The Fiji Times quoted Bainimarama on 13 March as saying that the SDL government had betrayed the mandate given to it by the Military in 2000. In appointing the Qarase government, Bainimarama said, the Military had taken it for granted that it would uphold the rule of law. Such expectations had been misplaced, he considered.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
SDL campaign organizer Jale Baba said on 13 March that he had written to the Elections Office, the Commissioner of Police, and the Director of Public Prosecutions to call for an investigation into what he called the unconstitutional campaign of the military, and what he alleged to be its illegal use of public money. The next day, the Fiji Sun quoted Baba as saying that legal action against the Military was being considered, and that he had written to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission to call for them to investigate the Military's political activities. The President of Fiji had also been written to and asked to discipline the Commander, he said.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
Prime Minister Qarase called a meeting of Fiji's National Security Council on 14 March to discuss the behaviour of the Military. He said that the actions of the Commander were unwarranted and undemocratic. He also raised the issue of illegal spending of public money for the Military's political campaign. Meanwhile, Radio Australia reported that the Auditor General had been asked to investigate this alleged misuse of public funds.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
Fiji Village quoted the Prime Minister as saying that the real reason for the breakdown in his fortnightly meetings with Bainimarama was that the latter had expected him to implement orders from the Military and had shown no respect for the elected government. "On my meetings with the military commander, what really went wrong was that he expected me and my Government to follow orders. In other words, to do everything he wanted," Qarase said.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
He accused Commodore Bainimarama of "conveniently forgetting" that the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), which he accused the Commander of supporting, had itself attempted to form a coalition with the Conservative Alliance (CAMV), which included numbers of coup-sympathizers, some of whom were subsequently convicted of involvement, after the 2001 election, and had offered amnesty to coup-convicts in exchange for CAMV support for an FLP government.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, Justice and Truth Campaign
The military campaign was criticized even by other opponents of the government. Rev. Akuila Yabaki of the Citizens Constitutional Forum said on 14 March that while he sympathized with the Military's reasons for opposing government policies, it was unacceptable in a democracy for the Military to intervene in the electoral process and that such interference must be stopped. Fiji Village revealed the same day that Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola had filed another complaint with police about the Commander's public statements against the government.


2006 Fijian general election, Interested organizations, The Methodist Church
Reverend Ame Tugaue, General Secretary of the Methodist Church (to which some two-thirds of indigenous Fijians are affiliated) told Fiji Live on 7 March that the church supported the Qarase government and the SDL, but would not attempt to influence its members to vote accordingly. He emphasized, however, that the church supported what he considered to be the strongly Christian moral stance of the SDL, adding, "It is our right and responsibility and we will choose someone who will ensure peace since Fiji was a paradise before."


2006 Fijian presidential election
Elections to the offices of President and Vice-President of Fiji took place on 8 March 2006, when the Great Council of Chiefs met as an electoral college at the Tradewinds Convention Centre in Lami. The Great Council re-elected President Ratu Josefa Iloilo (who had recently turned 85) and Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi to another five-year term.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo's retirement plans
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of President Iloilo's family told the Fiji Times on 29 November 2005 that he did not intend to seek another term when his present term ended on 13 March 2006. The family member said that the President had already hinted of his plans during a speech at the 2005 Fiji Business Excellence Awards in Nadi, in which he said it might be his last official function. His plans to retire were motivated not by concerns about his health, but by his desire to spend more time with his family and tribe, of which he is the Paramount Chief, the source said.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo's retirement plans
Great Council of Chiefs Chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini said that the Great Council had received no official notice of any retirement plans. The President's official secretary, Rupeni Nacewa, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, and Ratu Jeremaia Tavaiqia, a relative of the President, also said that they had not been informed of any such intention.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo's retirement plans
On 20 December 2005, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, the Commander of Fiji's Military forces, told a parade that President Iloilo would in fact be retiring in 2006. The president's office confirmed on 11 January 2006 that the President did intend to retire in March, following a tour of the Middle East. The Vice President, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, who already performs many of the President's official functions, is considered a likely successor. Ratu Ovini Bokini said on 17 January 2006, however, that the Great Council of Chiefs had yet to be notified of any such decision.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo reconsiders
On 2 February 2006, the office of the Great Council of Chiefs announced that Iloilo had indicated his willingness to serve for another term, defying months of speculation about his imminent retirement. The announcement was welcomed by Rev. Akuila Yabaki of the Citizens Constitutional Forum, a human rights organization. President Iloilo and Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi were a "formidable partnership" which gave many citizens a sense of security in a time of uncertainty, Yabaki said.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo reconsiders
Military spokesman Captain Neumi Leweni spoke out on 7 February to deny rumours, reported on Radio Gold, that the Military Commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, had pressured the President into offering himself for reappointment despite his advanced age and ambiguous health. The Military had not been involved in any way, Leweni said.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo reconsiders
National Alliance Party (NAPF) President Ratu Epeli Ganilau, a former Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, said on 7 February that the Great Council should be left in peace to make its decision, which should be fully respected, as it was their prerogative to choose the President. Comments from certain individuals, whom he did not identify, had been disrespectful, he said.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Iloilo reconsiders
His sentiments were shared by Pramod Rae, General Secretary of the National Federation Party (NFP), and by Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo, Chairman of the Kadavu Provincial Council, who was quoted by the Fiji Times on 10 February as saying that the chiefs must be allowed to decide the matter, in their wisdom, without interference.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
On 10 February, Captain Leweni warned that as the President is constitutionally the Commander-in-Chief of the Military, they would not allow any chief implicated in the 2000 coup to be appointed to this position. The Military reiterated this stance on 16 February, following a Fiji Television report that a prominent chief with links to the 2000 coup was being considered for the post of Vice-President. Fiji Village identified this chief as Ratu Jope Seniloli, the former Vice-President who resigned in disgrace in November 2004 following his conviction on coup-related offences. Several Tailevu chiefs were reportedly campaigning for his reinstatement.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
Great Council of Chiefs Chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini was quoted by Fiji Village on 22 February that the Great Council did not have the authority to reject any nomination. Seniloli himself, however, revealed that he was not eligible for reinstatement, as he was still technically serving his prison sentence extramurally.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
Fiji Village reported on 23 February 2006 that some chiefs wished to nominate Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, the Tui Cakau (Paramount Chief of Tovata) for the office of President or Vice-President. Lalabalavu, who was also Fiji's Minister for Transport, served an eight-month prison sentence (most of it extramurally) in 2005 for his role in an army mutiny) connected with the coup.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
Although the contents were not revealed, the Fiji Sun claimed on 21 February that the Military had sent a seven-page letter to President Iloilo, threatening to invoke the "Doctrine of necessity" if a coup-convict was appointed President or Vice-President. The next day, Captain Leweni said that with an incumbent President and Vice-President willing to serve for another term, it would be "pointless" to nominate anyone else. Rabukawaqa reiterated this stance on 22 February, but denied knowledge of the seven-page letter alleged to have been sent.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
According to Fiji Live, Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale revealed on 23 February that the Constitution is silent on whether persons convicted of criminal offences are eligible to hold public office.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
Fiji Live quoted Rabukawaqa on 24 February as reiterating the Military's opposition to any coup convict being appointed President or Vice-President. He strongly criticized Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale for saying that there was no constitutional bar to an ex-convict holding the Presidency or Vice-Presidency, but denied that the Military had threatened to use the Doctrine of Necessity should such a scenario occur.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
In another Fiji Live report on 7 March, Rabukawaqa called on the Military to make a wise choice. "Our concern will be the character and the credibility of the nominations of the people who will actually sit in the office of the President and the Vice President," Rabukawaqa said. No person who would bring the office into disrepute should be chosen, he insisted. He refused, however, to say what the Military might do if a coup-convict were to be appointed, saying that he would not comment on hypothetical scenarios.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Military concerns
His comments followed a call the previous day from the Prime Minister to respect the rule of law and avoid interfering in the selection of the President and Vice-President. Laisenia Qarase said that he himself would not attempt to influence the decision, even though he was constitutionally entitled to be consulted.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
The Military was not the only institution expressing misgivings about the election. Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) General Secretary Ema Druavesi said on 16 February that she would not be surprised if Seniloli returned to office, as numerous coup-convicts had already been reinstated in the positions they had held. She alleged that Seniloli's possible return was part of a government campaign against the Military - and should be ready to answer for it.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
Poseci Bune, Deputy Leader of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), similarly claimed that there were moves to replace President Iloilo with a pro-Government chief who would remove Commodore Frank Bainimarama from his position as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, however, rejected Bune's claims as outrageous, saying that the government would not interfere with the decision of the Great Council of Chiefs.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
In a further comment quoted in the Fiji Times (26 February), Ratu Epeli Ganilau said that the Great Council of Chiefs already had selection criteria, which were adopted in 1992. While the Constitution allowed any Fijian citizen, in principle, to hold the Presidency or Vice-Presidency, the criteria of the Great Council required the person chosen to be of chiefly birth, experienced, and well regarded as a national leader. "Also, the person appointed must not be convicted of any crime at all," Ganilau declared. President Iloilo and Vice-President Madraiwiwi had both been selected on the basis of these criteria, Ganilau said. He claimed to have met, in his then capacity as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, former Vice-President Seniloli following his treason conviction, with a view to protecting the office.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
Asesela Sadole, General Secretary of the Great Council of Chiefs, responded on 28 February by saying that it was the Great Council that had established the selection criteria, and was at liberty to change it. It was only a guideline, he said.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
Party of National Unity (PANU) leader Ponipate Lesavua endorsed Iloilo on 27 February and called on the chiefs of Ba and Burebasaga to rally behind him. He hoped that in making their selection, the chiefs would consider that no country should be ruled by ex-convicts. "We need clean and honest people running the nation so our chiefs should give them (Iloilo and Madraiwiwi) a second chance rather than choosing those people that have come out of jail for offences that could be described to be similar to murder," the Fiji Times quoted him as saying.


2006 Fijian presidential election, Others' comments
Although endorsing Iloilo for President and Madraiwiwi for Vice-President, Fiji Labour Party (FLP) leader Mahendra Chaudhry told Fiji Live on 5 March that a magnanimous gesture would be to appoint a non-indigenous Fijian to one of the two most senior positions. He also declared his opposition to any coup-convict being given one of the positions. "It's a great challenge to the integrity of our nation," he said.


2006 Finlandia Trophy
The 2006 Finlandia Trophy is an annual senior-level international figure skating competition held in Finland. It was held in Vantaa on October 6–8, 2006. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles and ladies' singles.


2006 Finn European Championship
The 2006 Finn Open European Championship was held at the Club de Vela Palamós in Palamós, Spain between September 22 and September 30, 2006.


2006 Finnish Cup
The 2006 Finnish Cup (Finnish: Suomen Cup) was the 52nd season of the main annual association football cup competition in Finland. It was organised as a single-elimination knock–out tournament and participation in the competition was voluntary. A total of 386 teams registered for the competition.


2006 Finnish Figure Skating Championships
The 2006 Finnish Figure Skating Championships took place between December 10 and 12, 2005 in Tampere. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles and women's singles on the senior and junior levels. The event was used to help determine the Finnish team to the 2006 European Championships.


2006 Finnish presidential election
A presidential election was held in Finland on 15 and 29 January 2006 which resulted in the re-election of Tarja Halonen as President of Finland for a second six-year term.


2006 Finnish presidential election
The first round of voting in Finnish presidential elections always takes place on the third Sunday of January, in this case 15 January 2006. As no candidate received more than half of the vote, a second round was held on 29 January between the two highest placed candidates from the first round, Tarja Halonen and Sauli Niinistö. Tarja Halonen, the incumbent, won the final round by 3.6 percentage points. The newly elected president formally took office for her second term on 1 March, and would have done so on 1 February, had no run-off been necessary (Constitution 55 §).


2006 Finnish presidential election
Advance voting is possible in Finnish elections, and the dates for this in the first round were the 4th, 5th and 7th to 10 January. Finnish citizens voting abroad could vote from the 4th to the 7th of January. An advantage to advance voting is that those doing so have a wider choice of polling stations (typically post offices, such as the one shown ), whereas on the actual election day the polling stations are fixed, usually schools, libraries or town halls.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
The candidates are listed below following their candidate numbers. This list was confirmed by the Electoral District Committee of Helsinki on 15 December 2005.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
The law states that candidate numbers start from number 2. There are various justifications, such as preventing any candidate from using the slogan "number 1" for publicity, preventing ambiguity between the numbers 1 and 7, or preventing votes from being accidentally discounted because of a resemblance to a tickmark.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
Tarja Halonen candidate of the Social Democratic Party of Finland, winner of 1st round with 46.3% of votes.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
Sauli Niinistö candidate of the National Coalition Party, finished 2nd on 1st round with 24.1% of the votes.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
Matti Vanhanen candidate of the Centre Party, finished 3rd on 1st round with 18.6% of the votes.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Candidates
Heidi Hautala candidate of the Green League, finished 4th on 1st round with 3.5% of the votes.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Campaign, Themes
The main theme of discussion in the campaign preceding the election was the President's powers and whether they should be limited further. The Green League's candidate Heidi Hautala suggested that the President be completely stripped of all powers relating to foreign affairs and foreign policy, but this proposal met with fierce resistance from the three candidates of the largest parties – Tarja Halonen, Matti Vanhanen and Sauli Niinistö. Halonen, the main left-wing candidate and incumbent president, has further indicated that the president's powers should not be increased either, since it would, in her opinion, reduce the degree of democratic decision-making.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Campaign, Themes
Another important election theme was the threat of international terrorism and how to counter it. The main right-wing candidate, Sauli Niinistö, stated in the last presidential debate that he would consider Finland's membership "in a more European" North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) after 2008 to achieve such an end, but this was strongly rejected by the other main candidates. The only candidate openly embracing NATO-membership was the other right-wing candidate, Henrik Lax, of the Swedish People's Party. According to a poll carried out by the Taloustutkimus polling agency in July 2005, most Finnish people believe that NATO membership would increase the risk of international terrorism in Finland instead of decreasing it. This is also the view held by Vanhanen, of the Centre Party, and Halonen.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Campaign, Themes
Other themes included Christian values emphasised by Bjarne Kallis; stronger ties around the Baltic Sea and a stronger European Union by Henrik Lax; criticism of the EU by Timo Soini and the state of entrepreneurship and the returning of Karelia by Arto Lahti.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Campaign, Themes
Sauli Niinistö raised the state of work as another theme. His campaign slogan was "President of the workers" (Työväen presidentti) and this provoked many union activists and left-wing supporters and voters. However, he was also criticised for trying to lure left-wing voters to vote for him with this slogan. Niinistö's campaign stated that there was neither "left-wing work" or "right-wing work" but only Finnish work for Finnish welfare.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Campaign, International attention
American late night talk show host Conan O'Brien endorsed re-election for Tarja Halonen on his show due to a long-standing joke about his resemblance to incumbent president Halonen. The skits, commentary, and mock campaign ads were seen on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on SubTV, a Finnish cable channel, five days a week (with a brief delay). Markku Jääskeläinen, Halonen's campaign manager, noted that the frequent mention of Halonen's name was positive for their campaign, and the running bits on the show attracted international attention to the election.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Opinion polls
Here is a collection of latest poll results. The opinion pollsters' methods may vary, as do the samples and the conducting time, which give the differences.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Opinion polls
Two of the latest polls made by Taloustutkimus and Suomen Gallup raised discussion over whether Halonen would gain the 50%+ majority of the votes necessary to win the election in a single round. According to Helsingin Sanomat, the reason why Halonen's support has decreased in polls might be an increase in the number of people not wanting to reveal their favourite candidate: some of them plead to the secrecy of voting. The airtime and space given by the media for the candidates may have given the candidates with smaller support the opportunity to bring their opinions to the public, which might add to their support in the polls in question.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Opinion polls
On the other hand, the latest poll conducted by Research International (2) showed no change in Halonen's popularity between the three different weeks.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Opinion polls
The candidates and their supporters read their polls for their advantage. In Timo Soini's mind there was a big surprise waiting in the ballot boxes; he did, in fact, receive 3.4% of the vote, which was much more than the support for his True Finns party in the last parliamentary election. Tarja Halonen stated this election as being the only one showing such a big support to her: "The crossbar is trembling just right", she said on January 10, meaning the excitement of getting the majority of the votes. Sauli Niinistö publicly stated that there would be a second round between him and Halonen.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Voting
Voting in the Finnish 2006 presidential election took place from 09:00 to 20:00 on both of the two election days, with specifically designated periods for advance voting before both the first and second rounds. Every municipality was required by law to have at least one polling station. Voting was organised abroad for expatriate Finnish citizens at Finnish embassies, consulates and honorary consulates worldwide. The candidates were voted for directly by the electorate. Votes were counted nationally.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Voting
The counting of advance votes started at 15:00, and was expected to finish before 20:00, when the first preliminary results were announced. The preliminary counting of the election day votes began at 20:00, after which the votes were delivered to the central election committee in Helsinki, which performed a recount. The definitive result in Finnish presidential elections is required by law to be confirmed on the following Tuesday at 10:00 at the latest. However, enough votes are normally counted during the first hour after polling stations close for an unofficial, but clear, result to be announced.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Voting, Results, First round
A second round run-off was held on 29 January 2006 between Tarja Halonen (Social Democratic Party) and Sauli Niinistö (National Coalition Party).


2006 Finnish presidential election, Voting, Results, First round
Opinion polls predicted a close election. A January 19 poll (HS Gallup) gave Halonen 53% and Niinistö 47% of the vote. By comparison, in October 2005 a clear majority of 70% would have voted for Halonen when asked to choose between her and Niinistö.


2006 Finnish presidential election, Voting, Results, First round
Four of the six candidates who did not make it to the second round, Matti Vanhanen, Bjarne Kallis, Henrik Lax and Arto Lahti publicly expressed their support for Sauli Niinistö in the runoff election. This reflects a loose alliance termed porvariyhteistyö in the Finnish media, (roughly translated as "bourgeois collaboration"). According to Niinistö and Vanhanen, the main centre-right parties (the National Coalition Party and the Centre Party) had agreed about a year earlier on some level of co-operation to better compete with Halonen, who was supported by both the Social Democrats and Left Alliance.


2006 First Division (Gambia)
The 2006 First Division season was the 38th of the amateur  competition of the first-tier football in the Gambia. The tournament was organized by the Gambian Football Association (GFA) . The season began on February 1 and finished in late April. The Gambia Ports Authority won the fifth title and qualified and competed in the 2007 CAF Champions League the following season. Hawks FC, winner of the 2005 Gambian Cup participated in the 2006 CAF Confederation Cup the following season..


2006 First Division (Gambia)
The season featured a total of 162 matches and scored a total of 100 goals, less than half than last season and more than 40% from 2004.


2006 First Division (Gambia)
Wallidan FC was once again the defending team of the title. Gambia Ports Authority finished with 33 points. Hawks scored the most goals numbering 16. Cherno Samba Academy scored the fewest numbering five.


2006 First Division (Gambia), Overview
The league was contested by 10 teams with Wallidan FC again winning the championship.


2006 First Division (Guinea-Bissau)
The 2006 First Division season was the 27th of the amateur competition of the first-tier football in Guinea-Bissau. The tournament was organized by the Football Federation of Guinea-Bissau. The season began on 14 January and finished on 14 July. Balantas won their twelfth title and finished with 50 points and for financial reasons did not qualify and competed in the 2007 CAF Champions League the following season. Portos de Bissau won the 2006 Guinea-Bissau Cup, instead, the cup finalist Benfica Bissau participated in the 2007 CAF Confederation Cup the following season.


2006 First Division (Guinea-Bissau)
It was a 22 match season and had a total of 132 matches.


2006 First Division (Guinea-Bissau)
SC de Bissau was again the defending team of the title. Balantas finished with 50 points and the only club who never lost a match in the season, Mavegro scored the most goals and numbered 37.


2006 First Division (Guinea-Bissau), Overview
The league was contested by 12 teams with Os Balantas winning the championship.


2006 Florida Atlantic Owls football team
The 2006 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Owls entered their first season as full members of the Sun Belt Conference. There was a battle for the starting quarterback position between freshman Rusty Smith and junior Sean Clayton. Throughout the season they split playing time.


2006 Florida Attorney General election
The 2006 Florida Attorney General election took place on November 7, 2006, to elect the Attorney General of Florida. The election was won by Bill McCollum who took office on January 3, 2007.


2006 Florida Chief Financial Officer election
The 2006 Chief Financial Officer General election took place on November 7, 2006, to elect the Chief Financial Officer of Florida. The election was won by Alex Sink who took office on January 2, 2007.


2006 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election
The 2006 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election took place on November 7, 2006, to elect the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Charles H. Bronson won a second term.


2006 Florida Gators baseball team
The 2006 Florida Gators baseball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of baseball during the 2006 college baseball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They played their home games at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The team was coached by Pat McMahon, who was in his fifth season at Florida.


2006 Florida Gators football team
The 2006 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2006 college football season. The Gators competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The season was the second for head coach Urban Meyer, who led the Gators to an SEC Championship, a BCS National Championship, and an overall win-loss record of 13–1 (.929).


2006 Florida Gators football team
Florida overcame the toughest schedule in the nation by opponent winning percentage to become national champions. The Gators won their seventh SEC title by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 38–28 in SEC Championship Game on December 2, 2006, then defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 41–14 in the BCS National Championship Game on January 8, 2007, beginning the SEC's streak of seven consecutive national championships.


2006 Florida Gators football team
During the 2006 season, the Gators also celebrated two milestones in their history: the tenth anniversary of their first national football championship in 1996, and 100 years of Florida football dating to their first season in 1906.


2006 Florida Gators football team
In addition, with the men's basketball team winning the 2006 and 2007 NCAA men's basketball national championships, the University of Florida became the first Division I school to ever win the football and men's basketball titles during the same year. Coincidentally, the Gators again faced and defeated Ohio State in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, also marking the first time in college sports history that identical matchups and results have occurred in both football and basketball championships.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Before the season
Most polls had Florida listed as one of the top 10 teams entering the season. The Gators had their best pre-season ranking from College Football News, which listed them at No. 2, behind only defending champion Texas.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Before the season
Most of the starters returned from a 2005 team that went 9–3 and they were bolstered by a top-rated recruiting class the previous February. The Gators' schedule included a four-game stretch against teams likely to be in the top-15 teams, starting with Alabama on September 30.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Before the season, Ten-year national championship anniversary
The Gators celebrated the ten-year anniversary of winning their 1996 national championship in football during the opening game against Southern Miss. Among the attendees was Steve Spurrier, who coached the team to its only championship that season who was at the time coaching at the University of South Carolina. Many people had speculated that because of Spurrier's hiring as the South Carolina Gamecocks coach he would be booed, but instead he received a very loud ovation during the ceremony.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Before the season, 100 year anniversary
The Gators also celebrated 100 years since the start of their football program in 1906.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Southern Miss
The season opened in the Swamp against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. The Gators scored the last 34 points of the game after surrendering a touchdown with 12:40 to play in the 1st quarter. Chris Leak's third pass attempt of the game was intercepted by the Golden Eagles, who scored on a 6-yard Damion Carter pass to Jeremy Young 3 plays later.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Southern Miss
Leak rebounded to finish 21-of-30 for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns. DeShawn Wynn and Tim Tebow each rushed for a touchdown for the Gators.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Central Florida
Despite giving up four turnovers and forcing none, the Gators easily beat the spread for the second time this season. By forcing a safety in the third quarter, the Gator defense outscored the blanked Golden Knights offense. It was the Gators' first shutout since blanking Mississippi State on September 29, 2001. Visiting Central Florida averaged just 2.6 yards per play and 153 total yards in the game.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Central Florida
Florida quarterback Chris Leak was 19-of-29 for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman receiver Percy Harvin had a coming-out game with a 58-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring, en route to a 4-catch, 99-yards receiving day. Andre Caldwell caught two touchdowns, and Ryan Williams added one more for the Gators. Florida reserve QB Tim Tebow led the game in rushing, with 61 yards.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Tennessee
Florida traveled to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida jumped out to an early 7–0 lead, but the Vols  quickly took the momentum back when wide receiver Lucas Taylor threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to LaMarcus Coker. The Volunteers shot out of the gate in the second half with an impressive touchdown drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Montario Hardesty, giving the Vols a 17–7 lead.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Tennessee
Chris Leak rallied the Gators to within a field goal when he found Dallas Baker for a four-yard touchdown. Tennessee pulled ahead by six when James Wilhoit hit a 51-yard field goal early in the fourth. Leak again rallied the team, but it was freshman Tim Tebow who made a huge play when he converted a crucial fourth down inside Tennessee territory. Leak came back into the game, and continued his strong play, finding Dallas Baker again for a 21-yard touchdown pass which would eventually prove to be the game winning score. The following drive, Junior quarterback Erik Ainge threw an interception to Reggie Nelson to seal a Gator victory. The win made the Gators No. 5 in the AP and Coaches polls.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Kentucky
The Gators quickly jumped out to a 6–0 lead on a trick play that led to a Chris Leak pass to Jemalle Cornelius for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game. From there, the Gators offense stagnated for most of the first half. The Wildcats took the lead briefly with a touchdown with under two minutes to play in the half, but the Gators responded with a touchdown of their own on a DeShawn Wynn run with :26 left in the half to take a 12–7 lead. Both Gator PATs were blocked in the half.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Kentucky
The second half of the game was more of a defensive struggle for both teams, but the Gators scored two more touchdowns (and made both PATs) to make the final score 26–7. Freshman Tim Tebow—the backup quarterback—led the Gators in rushing for the second time in four games with 73 yards on six rushes.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Kentucky
The week prior to the game, it was announced that DT Marcus Thomas was indefinitely suspended after failing a drug test. He appealed the suspension, but missed the Kentucky game while awaiting word on the appeal.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Alabama
Florida went with a throwback uniform style for the game, wearing uniforms from the mid-1960s as a part of the 100-year celebration of Florida Football. Prior to the game, Florida also unveiled its four initial entries into the Gator Football Ring of Honor—Emmitt Smith, Danny Wuerffel, Steve Spurrier, and Jack Youngblood.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Alabama
Florida entered the game hoping to avenge a 31–3 loss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama the previous season, and end a rare three-game losing streak against a conference opponent.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Alabama
The Gators trailed for nearly the entire first three quarters. After a botched snap between center Steve Rissler and quarterback Chris Leak, Alabama's Prince Hall returned the fumble for their only touchdown of the game. The Tide added a field goal to take a 10–0 lead that held until just before the half. Late in the first half, Chris Leak had a career-long 45-yard run. Three plays later, a Tim Tebow designed sneak scored from 2 yards out, putting the Gators on the board with 1:45 left in the half.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Alabama
The Gators took their first lead with 2:39 left in the third quarter on a Leak pass to Andre Caldwell, making it 14–10. The Tide kept it close, kicking a 26-yard field goal to make it a 1-point game in the fourth quarter. Leak found Dallas Baker on a 21-yard touchdown pass to strengthen Florida's lead, and safety Reggie Nelson picked off John Parker Wilson's pass and took it 70 yards for the score to put the game out of reach.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, LSU
ESPN's College GameDay was on campus for the Top-10 tilt between the LSU Tigers and the Gators. The attendance of 90,714 was two shy of the stadium record.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, LSU
Like in their other 3 SEC victories, the Gators fell behind in the first half, allowing an LSU touchdown drive after a fumble on the opening drive. After the Tigers muffed on a Gator punt a drive later, reserve freshman QB Tim Tebow scored on a QB sneak from one yard out to tie the game. The Gators also scored right before halftime on Tebow's first touchdown pass, where he faked a leap over the pile and threw the ball to a falling Tate Casey. Tebow added a more conventional touchdown pass to Louis Murphy early in the third quarter.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, LSU
The Tigers' Early Doucet fumbled the second half kickoff into the end zone for a safety, which led to the long Tebow throw on the next drive. An LSU field goal early in the fourth quarter would cut the Florida lead to 23–10. The Tigers drove deep into Gator territory on two other occasions in the fourth quarter, but the Gator defense intercepted LSU quarterback Jamarcus Russell on both drives to seal the victory. Starting QB Chris Leak, despite going 17-of-26 passing, was held without a touchdown for the first time this season.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Auburn
ESPN's College GameDay was at Jordan–Hare Stadium to cover the critical SEC matchup between the number two ranked Gators and the number eleven ranked Auburn Tigers. Both Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit picked the Gators to defeat the Tigers. The game was broadcast on ESPN Full Circle.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Auburn
The Tigers scored early, taking the opening drive to the Gators' 5-yard-line before being forced to kick a field goal. The Gators responded with a field goal, their first of the season for a 3–3 tie at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, with a touchdown pass from Chris Leak to Ryan Williams the Gators took a 10–3 lead. Soon thereafter, the Gators seemingly averted danger when they stripped the ball from the Tigers at the goal line.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Auburn
One play later, however, a Jim Tartt holding penalty in the end zone forced a safety, giving Auburn the ball back and two points. With about 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter Auburn kicked another field goal to make the score 10–8. The Gators strengthened their lead to 17–8 on a Tim Tebow run. Auburn kicked one additional field goal with 30 seconds in the quarter to cut the Gator lead to 17–11 at the half.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Auburn
The second half belonged entirely to the Tigers, as they shut Florida out in the half and blocked a punt for a score to take the lead by one point in the third quarter. The Gators threatened to take the lead midway through the fourth until a controversial Chris Leak fumble caused by Tray Blackmon of the Tigers gave Auburn the ball. A late field goal put Auburn up four points with just over 30 seconds to go in the game. In desperation, Florida responded on the last play of the game with a failed hook and lateral play, which Auburn's defense was able to pick up and return for a score as time expired.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Georgia
As the Gators came into their annual rivalry game with Georgia, they were heavily favored. Florida scored on their first possession of the game, moving the ball very effectively with a blend of running and passing. Wide receiver Andre Caldwell capped off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run off a reverse. Florida's defense, which had been touted as one of the best in the SEC, lived up to their billing, stifling the Georgia offense for the entire first half.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Georgia
The Gators added another touchdown before halftime, when Chris Leak threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell for his second touchdown of the game. Florida's defense again came up huge in the second half, when on the first play of the half, Georgia tailback Kregg Lumpkin fumbled the ball and defensive tackle Ray McDonald recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Gators a commanding 21–0 lead.


2006 Florida Gators football team, Game summaries, Georgia
Florida's defense continued to stifle Georgia throughout the second half, until late in the third quarter. After a Chris Leak interception, true freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford led the Bulldogs to a touchdown which he capped off on a 13-yard touchdown run off a quarterback draw, cutting the deficit to fourteen points. Florida's offense was stuffed on the following drive but got a muffed punt by Georgia to regain the ball. However, Florida was unable to capitalize on the turnover, as Chris Hetland again missed a field goal.