Fiji’s Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu has reiterated his willingness to engage in dialogue with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the Coalition Government following the defeat of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025 in Parliament last week.
However, he remains adamant that the Opposition’s decision to reject the Bill was rooted in principles and values that must not be compromised.
In a media statement issued today, Seruiratu reiterated calls for genuine and inclusive discussions on constitutional amendments, arguing that last-minute attempts, including those he claimed were made through “text messages across the floor of Parliament”, were insufficient.
“We in the Opposition remain committed to dialogue on matters of national importance, with the amendment of the 2013 Constitution being a key issue,” Seruiratu said. “Although the Bill was defeated in Parliament last week, we are available to meet should the Prime Minister and the Coalition Government decide to do so. We believe in dialogue and compromise, but we will not deviate from our principles and values.”
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025, also known as Bill 1 of 2025, was introduced by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in the first parliamentary sitting of the year. It sought to revise the procedures for amending the 2013 Constitution, including removing the requirement for a national referendum.
Under the 2013 Constitution, any amendment must pass through Parliament with a three-quarters majority in the second and third readings before being subjected to a referendum, where three-quarters of all registered voters must approve the change. The government argued that removing the referendum requirement would streamline the amendment process, but the Opposition contended that such a move would reduce public participation and weaken democratic oversight.
The Bill needed support from at least 41 MPs to pass the second reading, but it failed by one vote.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Seruiratu outlined the Opposition’s primary concerns with the proposed amendments. He insisted that any constitutional change must adhere to existing legal provisions and ensure broad public participation.
“One, whatever we do, it must be within the provisions of the law—that is the first responsibility of government. Two, any amendment must remain within the existing provisions, particularly the 75% parliamentary approval threshold,” he stated, stressing in particular the need to retain the constitutional requirement for a referendum rather than holding parliamentary consultations, arguing that it was essential for ensuring national participation and legitimacy.
He pointed out that while consultations conducted by Parliament often suffer from low turnout, a referendum would provide a more inclusive platform for national participation.
“But when it comes to the referendum, there is national participation, and we are able to hear the voices of all the people from all the four corners of Fiji,” Seruiratu said. “The voice of the people needs to be there. There are people who are really concerned about this amendment. What will this amendment be? How will it affect us? We are the voices of those people, and that is why we insisted that the referendum remains.”
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