Deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua has publicly rejected recent calls to enshrine Fiji as a “Christian State” in the Constitution, warning that such a move would undermine equality, ignore the country’s diverse identity and risk eroding democratic principles. In a statement shared on social media, the National Federation Party MP described attempts to define national belonging by religion as a dangerous retracing of past mistakes.
“Calling Fiji a ‘Christian State’ in the Constitution ignores our own history,” Qereqeretabua said, pointing to the coups since 1987 as a clear lesson about the perils of using identity to decide who belongs. “The coups from 1987 and onward showed us what happens when identity is used to decide who belongs. We should have learnt that lesson,” she added, framing the proposal as not only a cultural misstep but a political one with potentially destabilising consequences.
Qereqeretabua emphasised that Fiji is a multi‑religious society and warned that elevating one faith above others in the supreme law would not change people’s beliefs or social realities. “Yes, many of us are Christian — but changing a clause in our supreme law does not change our psyche, nor our ‘Christianity’,” she said, arguing that constitutional wording cannot manufacture genuine unity or faith. She said the moment a single religion is legally prioritised, “we move away from equality and democracy.”
Her intervention is the latest public pushback against proposals to alter the Constitution on religious grounds. It comes amid renewed political debate about the 2013 Constitution following the recent deregistration of the FijiFirst party and a broader flurry of discussion among MPs about constitutional review. Qereqeretabua’s stance carries weight given her role as Deputy Speaker and her profile within the opposition National Federation Party.
Qereqeretabua framed her opposition in practical and civic terms, urging continued mutual respect among communities rather than legal redefinition of national identity. “I vote for a secular state and ‘you do you’, with all our blessings continuing to celebrate each other without prejudice as we have done for decades,” she said, appealing to a long‑standing tradition of pluralism in Fiji.
The deputy speaker’s comments add a prominent voice to a debate that touches on constitutional law, social cohesion and the nation’s political memory. While proponents of a constitutional declaration have not been named in her statement, Qereqeretabua’s warning that such a move could chip away at democratic norms makes clear the stakes if the issue advances in Parliament or in public campaigns. For now, she has placed herself firmly on record defending secularism and equality as central to Fiji’s constitutional identity.