The Centre for Democracy and Dialogue (CDD) has warned that the proposed timeline to bring a new Fiji Constitution into force by 24 December 2026, could put Fiji’s next general election at risk and trigger a constitutional crisis.
CDD chief executive officer Nilesh Lal said the proposed timeframe raised serious constitutional, legal and democratic concerns, particularly if significant electoral changes are introduced shortly before the next election.
“The democratic authority of Parliament is time-bound. It is derived from the mandate given by voters at a general election and expires after a defined period, four years in the case of the current Parliament,” Lal said.
He said if a new Constitution were implemented at the end of next year and altered key electoral requirements, authorities could face significant challenges in organising an election within the period required by law.
“If a new Constitution is brought into force at the end of December 2026, and if it changes the electoral system, electoral procedures, nomination rules, party requirements, constituency arrangements, or other legal conditions for the conduct of elections, it may become legally and administratively impossible to hold a general election within the required period following the dissolution of Parliament.”
Lal said such a scenario would be constitutionally unacceptable and would undermine representative democracy. He said the danger was particularly serious because Fiji’s next general election must be conducted within timelines prescribed by law.
“A Constitution cannot be used to defeat democracy. Constitutional reform must not create a legal vacuum, an electoral impossibility, or a situation in which the country is governed after the expiry of Parliament’s democratic authority.”
The organisation is calling on Government to state clearly that the constitutional review process will not affect the timing of the next election.
“The central legal question is simple: will this process preserve the people’s right to elect a new Parliament on time, or will it place that right at risk?” Lal said.
He also stressed that constitutional reform should strengthen, rather than weaken, democratic institutions and electoral certainty.
