Lawmakers in Fiji are set to
debate and vote on a government bill on Friday to amend the
country’s constitution, after a marathon parliamentary
sitting that stretched late into Thursday night (NZ
time).
Fiji’s government tabled its 150-page
[https://www.parliament.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bill-No.-32-Constitution-Amendment-Bill-2026.pdf
Constitution (Amendment) Bill for the first time on
Wednesday evening.
MPs were given less than 48 hours
to read it ahead of the debate, which is scheduled for later
this evening.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s
coalition wants to replace the 2013 Constitution and needs
the bill to be passed in parliament on its second and third
readings to put it to a referendum.
Rabuka needs a
two-thirds majority – 36 out of 53 MPs currently in
parliament – vote in favour for the bill to progress to the
next stage.
Rabuka told local reporters in a news
briefing on Thursday that he was confident he had the
numbers.
He said if the bill fails to pass, the
country will go to the polls – though a date is yet to be
confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Democracy &
Dialogue (CDD), an independent civil society organisation,
described the text of the Fijian government’s draft
constitution in the bill as “a significant downgrade” from
the draft
constitution proposed by a Constitution Review
Commission released last month.
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The Commission’s
recommendations included repealing coup immunity provisions
of the 2013 Constitution, giving the Great Council of Chiefs
constitutional recognition, replacing the electoral and
parliamentary system, and reducing the military’s role in
national politics.
“Some of the most laudable elements
of the [Constitution Review Commission] Draft Constitution,
which would have provided significant democratic and
accountability safeguards, have all been removed,” CDD chief
executive Nilesh Lal said.
“These include the limit on
the Prime Minister’s tenure, the limit on Cabinet size,
greater independence in constitutional appointments,
restraints on executive power, constitutional regulation of
political parties and political finance, stronger guarantees
for women’s representation, constitutional recognition of
local government, independent implementation oversight and
important institutional accountability
mechanisms.”
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