Fijians are still waiting to find out who their prime minister is five days after casting their ballots, with one minor party holding the balance of power.
The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) has the deciding vote on whether Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama's nationalist FijiFirst government will get another term in power or not.
But the opposition People's Alliance party and National Federation Party are pushing for a tripartite coalition, arguing they're more ideologically aligned with SODELPA.
Negotiators have just under two weeks to reach a decision but party leaders are hopeful of forming an agreement much sooner.
SODELPA is focused on promoting and expanding Indigenous rights, saying its signature Indigenous and education policies are non-negotiable.
The party campaigned on free tertiary education, $159 million-a-year for Indigenous affairs and extra protections for Indigenous land rights.
But the religiously conservative party has also demanded an embassy in Jerusalem, arguing Fiji needs to lean into its heavily Christian principles.
"Fiji is predominantly a Christian country and it has always been the wish of the Christian community to have a presence in the holy land," SODELPA leader Viliame Gavoka said.
"That is SODELPA being close to the Indigenous people who are mostly Christian, that is their wish.
"Christian principles will be the mainstay of our policies."
Ministries and the potential for Gavoka to become deputy prime minister above the leader of the larger National Federation Party in the possible tripartite coalition remain on the table.
FijiFirst will command 26 seats in the expanded 55-member parliament, while People's Alliance will have 21, the National Federation five, and SODELPA three.
FijiFirst secured 42.5 per cent of the vote, while People Alliance took 36 per cent, the National Federation Party nine per cent and SODELPA just above five per cent.
The People's Alliance, which brands itself as a progressive alternative to the government, and the more liberal-democratic National Federation Party have already agreed to work together to dispel FijiFirst.
People's Alliance leader Sitiveni Rabuka - a former prime minister and coup leader - said the opposition parties all had "a common enemy".
"It's natural for us to forge a coalition because when we look at our policies, they are in harmony," he said.
"Almost all of them, individually and collectively, are diametrically opposed FijiFirst policy."
National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad said Fiji had expressed a will for change, with some 58 per cent voting to expel FijiFirst.
"People have given a clear mandate to the opposition parties and they have indicated their desire for a new government," he said.
The opposition have branded Bainimarama as dictatorial, saying he's clamped down on freedoms, including of the media, and sought to take out political rivals with draconian laws since taking power through a coup in 2006.
Bainimarama has instead positioned himself as an economic strongman who oversees a stable government that led the nation through the pandemic.
His introduction of free education has also gained him popularity in Fiji.
This article was made possible through the Melbourne Press Club's Michael Gordon Journalism Fellowship Program.
