Fiji's Bainimarama heads towards victory

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has taken a major lead in the country's national election, but early results give his FijiFirst party only a slim majority.

The Pacific nation on Wednesday went to the polls for the second time since Mr Bainimarama seized power in a military coup in 2006.

With about three quarters of polling stations counted, provisional results on Thursday morning put FijiFirst on 51.6 per cent of the total vote, with the Social Democratic Liberal Party, led by former PM Sitiveni Rabuka, on 38 per cent.

The margin is significantly closer than the last election in 2014, in which FijiFirst won almost 60 per cent of the vote.

There are six parties running this year for 51 proportionally-allocated seats. The third-placed National Federation Party is on 7.5 per cent.

The final result and allocation of seats in parliament, however, are not scheduled to be announced until later this week.

Heavy rain suppressed the election day turnout and authorities had to close dozens of polling stations early because of flooding. Nearly 8000 affected voters will have to vote at a later date.

About 500,000 of the country's 920,000 residents had been expected to come out.

Police reported no major issues.

Bainimarama has campaigned on the continuation of strong economic growth, relative political stability and improved social services in Fiji, and polling ahead of the vote had him as favourite.

Some critics, however, have branded the 64-year-old authoritarian. Poverty also remains widespread and opposition leaders have promised to raise the minimum wage.

Mr Rabuka - who himself led two coups in 1987 - also voiced concerns about large debts owed by Fiji to China.

While Mr Bainimarama's government moved closer to China in response to Western sanctions after he took power in 2006, Fiji's relationship with Australia has grown significantly stronger in recent years.

With a history of coups in recent decades and two former military strongmen running, police in recent weeks have talked down the possibility of tension. The military said it would respect the final outcome.

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