Parliament of Fiji
Parliament of the Republic of Fiji Palimedi ni Matanitu Tugalala o Viti ( Unicameral | |
---|---|
Leadership | |
Speaker | |
Secretary-General | Jeanette Emberson since 17 September 2021 |
Structure | |
Seats | 55 members |
Political groups | Government (29)
Opposition (26)
|
Elections | |
Open-list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency using the D'Hondt method with a 5% threshold | |
Last election | 14 December 2022 |
Next election | 2026 |
Meeting place | |
Government Buildings, Suva | |
Website | |
www |
18°08′45″S 178°25′28″E / 18.145858°S 178.424413°E
The Parliament of the Republic of Fiji is the
History
Establishment
The Fijian Parliament dates from 10 October 1970, when Fiji became independent from the United Kingdom. The Parliament replaced the former colonial legislative body, the Legislative Council, which had existed in various forms throughout the entire colonial period. A grandfather clause in the 1970 Constitution, which was adopted on independence, provided for the old Legislative Council to be renamed as the House of Representatives and remain in office, pending the first post-independence elections in 1972.
Interruptions
Since independence, Parliamentary rule has been interrupted three times. The first interruption was from 1987 through 1992, owing to two
Composition
The composition of Parliament has changed over the years. From 1972 to 1987, there were 52 Representatives and 22 Senators. In 1992, Parliament was enlarged to 70 Representatives and 34 Senators, figures marginally adjusted in 1999 to provide for 71 Representatives and 32 Senators. 25 of these were elected by
The Senate was less powerful than the House of Representatives; the Senate could not initiate legislation, but it could reject or amend it. The Senate's powers over financial bills were more restricted: it could
Unicameral system
The 2013 Constitution promulgated by the military-backed interim government abolished the Senate and the House of Representatives, instituting a single-chamber 50-member Parliament. Section 54(2) of the Constitution requires the Fiji Electoral Commission to review the composition of the parliament at least one year before a general election and may if necessary increase or decrease the total number of members. In its review the commission will ensure that ratio of members to the population is the same as the ratio at the date of the first general election under this Constitution. Furthermore, the commission is required to consider the most recent census, the Register of Voters or any other official information available when undertaking its review. Accordingly, the Parliament had 50 seats up for election in 2014, 51 in 2018, and 55 in 2022.
Structure
The Parliament of Fiji consists of 55 members (plus a speaker) and is led by the prime minister, who is the leader of the largest party of government. The current Parliament was elected in the 2022 election, with a coalition of the People's Alliance, the National Federation Party (NFP), and the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) holding a majority of 29 seats. FijiFirst, led by Frank Bainimarama, holds 26 seats and is the sole opposition party. The current prime minister is Sitiveni Rabuka.
Speakers
The salary of the speaker is FJ$150,000 annually.[1]
Image | Name | Entered office | Left office | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jiko Luveni | 6 October 2014 | 22 December 2018 | Died in office | |
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau | 11 February 2019 | 24 December 2022 | ||
Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu | 24 December 2022 | Incumbent |
See also
- Politics of Fiji
- Legislative Council of Fiji before 1970
- House of Representatives of Fiji from 1970 to 2006
- Senate of Fiji from 1970 to 2006
- List of parliaments of Fiji from 1970 to present
- List of legislatures by country
References
- ^ Government of Fiji Gazette (3 October 2014). "PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATIONS DECREE 2014 (DECREE NO. 29 OF 2014)" (PDF). www.parliament.gov.fj.