The Bose Levu Vakaturaga (BLV) would nominate 14 of the 23 members of Fiji’s proposed Senate under the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026.
The Senate would serve as the second chamber of Parliament, with its primary role being to review legislation passed by the House of Representatives.
Under section 76, all 23 senators would formally be appointed by the President, based on nominations from four sources.
The BLV would nominate 14 senators, giving it the largest share of appointments. The Prime Minister would nominate six, the Leader of the Opposition two, and the Rotuma Island Council one.
The Bill requires nominations made by the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to reflect Fiji’s diversity, specifically including “descendants of Girmitiyas and other minority groups.”
If the position of Leader of the Opposition is vacant when Senate appointments are being made, the Prime Minister would assume the Opposition Leader’s role in proposing the two appointments allocated to that office.
Anyone appointed to the Senate would also have to meet the eligibility requirements for candidates seeking election to the House of Representatives.
The Senate’s term would be directly linked to the House of Representatives.
Under section 77, senators’ terms would end when the House’s five-year term expires or whenever the House is dissolved early.
The Bill states that the Senate’s purpose is to review Bills passed by the House of Representatives, along with other responsibilities assigned under the Constitution or other written laws.
