Fiji’s House of Representatives would serve a five-year term, with restrictions placed on when Parliament could be dissolved early, under the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026.
Section 66 proposes that the House continue for five years from its first meeting following a general election, unless dissolved earlier under specific constitutional provisions.
The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, could ordinarily dissolve Parliament only after four years and six months of its term have elapsed.
The Bill also establishes a separate mechanism for early dissolution.
Under section 67, Parliament could be dissolved early if at least two-thirds of all members of the House of Representatives support a resolution for dissolution.
However, such a resolution could only be moved by the Leader of the Opposition on the grounds that the Government no longer commands the confidence of the House.
It could also only be introduced after the House had first rejected a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister under section 113.
The Bill further restricts the timing of an early dissolution motion.
It could not be moved during the first 18 months of a parliamentary term or during the final six months of the ordinary five-year term.
The proposed provisions would therefore establish a five-year parliamentary cycle while setting specific constitutional thresholds and circumstances for bringing an elected House to an early end.
