Fiji would have a 55-member House of Representatives elected through a combination of constituency and proportional representation seats under the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026.
Section 64 proposes 33 constituency MPs, elected directly by voters under a first-past-the-post system, and 22 party-list MPs allocated according to parties’ share of the vote.
Of the 33 constituency seats, five would be specifically designated for the maritime constituencies of Rotuma, Yasawa, Kadavu, Lomaiviti and Lau.
The Bill states that the House should be composed in a way that reflects, “as closely as practicable, the proportion of votes cast for political parties.”
Political parties would have to secure at least five per cent of the party vote to qualify for proportional representation.
Constituency seats already won by a party would be deducted from its overall proportional entitlement, with the remaining allocation filled from its party list.
Independent candidates would also be allowed to contest constituency seats and, if elected, serve as independent MPs without affecting the proportional allocation of party-list seats.
Candidates would be permitted to contest a constituency while also appearing on their party’s list.
The Bill also allows Parliament to introduce temporary measures governing party lists, including measures aimed at achieving more equal representation of male and female candidates and facilitating broader diversity.
Parliament would retain the power to change the number of constituency and party-list seats through written law.
