Two minor partners in Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s coalition government have publicly broken with him over the pace of Fiji’s constitutional reform, after Rabuka named 9 December as the date for a national referendum. The National Federation Party (NFP) and the Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) issued statements on Monday and Tuesday rejecting the fast-tracked process, according to RNZ, as the country prepares to mark its 56th anniversary on Saturday.
Key facts
- The government’s Constitution (Amendment) Bill secured 38 votes out of 53 at its second reading last Friday, above the two-thirds threshold of 36 MPs needed to advance it, RNZ reports.
- More than 723,000 eligible Fijian voters have registered to vote at the general election.
- The administration’s term legally ends on 24 December, and elections are expected by 6 February at the latest.
Why it matters
The dispute puts the two partners that helped return Rabuka to power on the record against their own prime minister weeks before an election must be called — and it does so over the rules of the vote itself. On Fiji News’ reading of the numbers RNZ reports, that is more than a presentational problem: the bill cleared its second reading with only a small margin above the two-thirds threshold, so coalition defections at the final reading would be enough to stop the amendment outright. The calendar is just as tight. A 9 December referendum would fall inside the final weeks of the government’s own term, leaving almost no room between the vote on the constitution and the vote on the government.
What the NFP is objecting to
NFP leader Biman Prasad, one of three deputy prime ministers, had said earlier that his party fully supported the joint parliamentary process to review the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill, which would change the 2013 Constitution. On Monday he said implementation of any new constitution should not be rushed.
By Tuesday the position had hardened. In a statement the NFP said it “outrightly rejects” the attempt to fast-track the process, and Prasad said the announcement was inconsistent with Section 160(3) of the 2013 Constitution on holding a referendum, RNZ reports.
Prasad said the prime minister was pre-empting the outcome before the bipartisan special parliamentary committee — agreed unanimously by parliament last week — had even met to begin scrutiny and consultation on the draft bill. He said parliamentarians could not do a deal on the constitution behind closed doors, and that the government must first ask Fijians what they think of it.
“All our citizens must understand what the draft constitution says and what it means for them. We could never do this in 30 days,” Prasad said, in remarks reported by RNZ. He added that if the process had to be finished after the next election, “so be it,” and questioned how the people could be expected to vote on a constitution they had barely seen.
Sodelpa, the opposition and the government’s defence
Sodelpa called on Rabuka to “immediately respect constitutional boundaries” on the referendum process. Party leader Aseri Radrodro, who is also Rabuka’s education minister, said in a statement that the rule of law and constitutional order in Fiji cannot be subordinated to executive convenience or political scheduling, RNZ reports. The party said no one is above the law and that all MPs must put Fijians first.
Fiji’s opposition condemned the announcement, saying Rabuka was “putting the cart before the horse.” Justice Minister Siromi Turaga defended the process on Monday, stating that the government would systematically inform the Fijian people about the bill. Rabuka himself has previously told RNZ Pacific that the timing of the election depends on the constitutional reform process, and he had not responded to the NFP or Sodelpa statements in the reporting available to this desk.
The row follows the referendum legislation parliament passed earlier, and comes after the same constitutional overhaul already divided MPs over the removal of FICAC.
Where the Electoral Commission stands
Rabuka said he would write to the Electoral Commission asking it to suspend all election-related campaigning until after the referendum. The commission has not agreed. It said it would “give the matter serious consideration” and deliberate on the extent of the discretion provided under section 15(2) of the National Referendum Act 2026, including the reasons for and against exercising it and the potential impacts of either approach.
What happens next
Three things are outstanding, on RNZ’s account: the special parliamentary committee has yet to start its scrutiny and consultation on the draft bill; the Electoral Commission has yet to rule on the campaigning request; and Rabuka has yet to name an election date. Fiji News will update this report if Rabuka responds directly to his coalition partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can legally call a referendum in Fiji?
National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad told RNZ Pacific that announcing a referendum is not the prime minister’s decision, and that under the law only the president can do it. Prasad said that can only happen after the bill has been passed by parliament.
Can the Electoral Commission suspend general election campaigning?
Some of Fiji’s leading civil society organisations have warned that the commission cannot lawfully suspend general election campaigning at this stage, according to RNZ.
What did the NFP compare the fast-tracking to?
In its Tuesday statement, the NFP compared the fast-tracking of the process to the previous Bainimarama administration’s unilateral implementation of the 2013 Constitution, RNZ reports. Prasad said the current approach was “not how to formulate a genuine, meaningful, and fair constitution for all our people.”
