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| Parliament of Fiji | |
|---|---|
| Name | Parliament of Fiji |
| House type | Unicameral |
| Established | 1970 |
| Preceded by | Legislative Council (Fiji) |
| Leader1 type | Speaker |
| Members | 55 |
| Voting system | Open list proportional representation |
| Last election | 2022 Fijian general election |
| Meeting place | Parliament of Fiji Building, Suva |
Parliament of Fiji is the unicameral legislative body created at independence in 1970 and reshaped by constitutional change in 2013. It sits in Suva and performs lawmaking, oversight, and representative functions within Fiji's constitutional order established after the 2006 coup and subsequent political developments. The legislature interacts with institutions such as the President of Fiji, the Prime Minister of Fiji, the FijiFirst party, and opposition parties including Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) and People's Alliance.
The origins trace to the Legislative Council (Fiji) under British colonial rule and the 1970 independence transition involving the Fiji (Constitution) Order 1970 and leaders like Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and Sidiq Koya. Post-independence developments included the 1987 military coups led by Sitiveni Rabuka, constitutional revisions culminating in the 1997 1997 Constitution and the 2000 coup associated with George Speight. The 2006 coup led by Frank Bainimarama produced the 2013 2013 Constitution and reformed the legislature, influencing relations with regional actors such as the Pacific Islands Forum and international partners including Australia and New Zealand.
The Parliament operates under the Constitution of Fiji (2013), which defines legislative competence, sovereign powers of the President of Fiji, and executive-legislative relations with the Prime Minister of Fiji and Cabinet. Legal sources shaping parliamentary authority include statutes passed by Parliament, precedents from the Fijian Courts such as decisions of the Supreme Court of Fiji and rulings emerging from constitutional litigation involving figures like Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and disputes over the Electoral Act (Fiji).
Parliament is unicameral with 55 members elected by proportional representation under an open-list system established after reforms. Membership includes representatives from parties such as FijiFirst, SODELPA, People's Alliance, and independents associated with constituencies in divisions like Central Division, Fiji and Eastern Division, Fiji. Leadership posts include the Speaker, deputy speakers, and party parliamentary leaders including the Leader of the Opposition (Fiji), who coordinate legislative business and caucus strategy with their party apparatuses.
Parliament enacts primary legislation affecting areas previously subject to colonial ordinances and modern statutes, such as land laws concerning mataqali and subjects tied to Native Land Trust Board arrangements, fiscal measures including budget approval tied to the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and oversight via question time directed at ministers like the Attorney-General of Fiji. It holds confidence votes determining the tenure of the Prime Minister of Fiji and can initiate impeachment involving the President of Fiji under constitutional provisions. Parliament's laws interact with international obligations ratified by Fiji, for example agreements with the United Nations and trade accords with partners such as China and European Union institutions.
Procedural rules are codified in standing orders adopted by Parliament and informed by Westminster-derived practice filtered through the 2013 Constitution. Committees—such as public accounts committees, human rights committees, and ethics panels—review executive implementation, scrutinize appropriations involving the Ministry of Finance (Fiji), and call witnesses including civil servants and representatives from bodies like the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission. Parliamentary debates, bills, committee reports, and petitions from civil society organizations such as Human Rights Commission of Fiji shape legislative output and transparency mechanisms.
Elections follow the Electoral Commission (Fiji) administration and provisions of the 2013 Constitution and Electoral Act (Fiji). Notable electoral events include the 2014, 2018, and 2022 general elections with campaigns led by figures such as Frank Bainimarama, Sitiveni Rabuka, Inia Seruiratu, and Sitiveni Rabuka (again). Voter enrollment, party registration, and electoral disputes have involved institutions like the Fiji Law Society and international observers from the Commonwealth of Nations and Pacific Islands Forum.
Parliament convenes in the Parliament of Fiji Building on Thurston Street, Suva and historically met at colonial-era venues in Suva and Levuka associated with figures like Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna. The modern chamber incorporates symbolic iconography reflecting indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian heritage and hosts ceremonial events attended by the President of Fiji and foreign dignitaries from states such as Australia and New Zealand.
Recent reforms include electoral system changes, anti-corruption legislation pursued by ministers like Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and debates over land and cultural policies implicating chiefs represented by the Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji) before its abolition. Controversies have involved alleged executive dominance, judicial review by the Supreme Court of Fiji, and public protests drawing activists associated with civil society groups and trade unions such as the CFU (Labour).
Category:Politics of Fiji