Parliament of Fiji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament of the Republic of FijiPalimedi ni Matanitu Tugalala o Viti (Fijian) फिजी गणराज्य की संसद (Fiji Hindi) |
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|---|---|
| 8th Republican Parliament | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
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Speaker
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|
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Leader of the Opposition
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Inia Seruiratu,
FijiFirst Since 29 March 2023 |
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Secretary-General
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Jeanette Emberson
Since 17 September 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 55 members |
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Political groups
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Government (29)
Opposition (26)
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| Elections | |
| Open-list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency using the D'Hondt method with a 5% threshold | |
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Last election
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14 December 2022 |
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Next election
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2026 |
| Meeting place | |
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| Government Buildings, Suva | |
The Parliament of the Republic of Fiji is the main law-making body of Fiji. It is a unicameral legislature, which means it has only one chamber or house of representatives. This Parliament has 55 members. They are chosen every four years through a nationwide election.
Contents
How Fiji's Parliament Began
Early Days of Parliament
Fiji's Parliament started on October 10, 1970. This was the day Fiji became an independent country, no longer ruled by the United Kingdom. Before this, Fiji had a different law-making group called the Legislative Council of Fiji. This council had been in place during the time Fiji was a British colony.
The first set of lawmakers after independence was actually the old Legislative Council. It was simply renamed the House of Representatives. They stayed in office until the first proper elections in 1972.
Times When Parliament Stopped
Since Fiji became independent, the Parliament has stopped working three times. These interruptions happened because of political takeovers.
- The first time was from 1987 to 1992. This was due to two military takeovers in 1987. Sitiveni Rabuka, who was a military officer, led these events.
- The second interruption happened in 2000. A man named George Speight tried to take control. This made the Parliament unable to work, so it was closed down. New elections in 2001 brought democracy back.
- The third time was in 2006. The military, led by Frank Bainimarama, took over the government again. There were no elections until September 2014.
How Parliament Members are Chosen
Changes in Parliament's Size
The number of members in Fiji's Parliament has changed over time.
- From 1972 to 1987, there were 52 members in the House of Representatives. There were also 22 members in another group called the Senate.
- In 1992, the Parliament grew. It had 70 Representatives and 34 Senators.
- By 1999, there were 71 Representatives and 32 Senators. Some of these were chosen by all voters. Others were reserved for specific ethnic groups in Fiji.
The Two-Chamber System
Before 2013, Fiji had a two-chamber Parliament. This meant it had two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Senate had 32 members. They were appointed by the President. These appointments came from different groups, like the Great Council of Chiefs and the Prime Minister.
The Senate had less power than the House of Representatives. It could not start new laws. However, it could say no to laws or suggest changes. For money-related laws, the Senate could only reject them completely, not change them.
The Single-Chamber System
In 2013, a new set of rules for Fiji was created. This new rulebook, called the 2013 Constitution, changed the Parliament. It got rid of the Senate and the old House of Representatives.
Now, Fiji has a single-chamber Parliament with 50 members. This is called a unicameral system. The number of members can change. The Fiji Electoral Commission checks the number of members before each election. They make sure the number of members matches the population.
- In 2014, there were 50 seats.
- In 2018, there were 51 seats.
- In 2022, there were 55 seats.
How Parliament Works Today
The Parliament of Fiji has 55 members and a Speaker. The Speaker is like the referee who makes sure debates follow the rules. The leader of the largest government party becomes the Prime Minister.
The current Parliament was chosen in the 2022 election. A group of parties formed a team to govern. This team includes the People's Alliance, the National Federation Party (NFP), and the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA). They have 29 seats together.
The main opposition party is FijiFirst. They have 26 seats. The current Prime Minister is Sitiveni Rabuka.
Speakers of Parliament
The Speaker is a very important person in Parliament. They lead the meetings and make sure everyone follows the rules. The Speaker earns FJ$150,000 each year.
| Image | Name | Entered office | Left office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Jiko Luveni | 6 October 2014 | 22 December 2018 | Died while in office |
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Ratu Epeli Nailatikau | 11 February 2019 | 24 December 2022 | |
| Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu | 24 December 2022 | Still in office |
See also
In Spanish: Parlamento de Fiyi para niños
- 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
