Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama took a few parliamentarians who managed less than 1000 votes into Parliament because elections held under the 2013 Constitution “uses the superstar-type of ideology and methodology where one person collects the votes and takes everyone in”.

This, according to Opposition parliamentarian Ro Filipe Tuisawau in his response to last week’s Parliament opening address by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.

He said the idea that polls held under the 2013 Constitution were the “most genuine democratic elections” was “hogwash”.

“That is not democratic, that does not reflect one vote of equal value because the honourable Prime Minister took with him a few MPs who managed less than 1000 votes to become MPs, while some of those who contested the election had close to 3000 or 4000 votes are not sitting here,” Ro Filipe said.

“So, this is a system which is, of course, totally unfair. Again, I am just trying to express here, the most genuine, democratic and just, looking at those examples, it is not genuinely democratic.”