Electoral Review Team member Professor Wadan Narsey has detailed essential recommendations from the team’s report, highlighting a proposed electoral model designed to enhance local representation and ensure proportionality in Fiji’s political landscape. Writing in The Fiji Times, Prof. Narsey confirmed that after extensive discussions, the team unanimously agreed on implementing a Proportional Open List Constituency System (POLCS).
“This is the system people all over Fiji asked for. They wanted local constituencies and locally accountable MPs,” he emphasized. Under the POLCS, Fiji would be organized into 25 constituencies, which may be reduced to 20, including five maritime seats. This adjustment addresses growing calls for a more localized electoral system.
Significantly, Prof. Narsey referenced remarks from Professor Jon Fraenkel of Victoria University, who observed that the 2013 Constitution mandates only a single electoral roll, not a single constituency. This insight allows for the expansion of constituencies without breaching constitutional boundaries.
Each constituency would elect two Members of Parliament (MPs): one for an open seat and one reserved for women, ensuring compliance with CEDAW commitments and promoting women’s participation in politics. The proposed voting process aims to be user-friendly, featuring fewer than a dozen candidates on ballots, thus simplifying voter choice with just a single tick required. Winners would be determined by a first-past-the-post system and counted transparently at local constituency centers.
To nurture party proportionality, an open-list mechanism would allocate 21 additional seats to the highest-polling losing candidates from various parties, promoting fair representation for major ethnic groups in accordance with their voter demographics. Prof. Narsey expressed hope that these reforms could help eliminate the cycle of political coups in Fiji.
The complete model proposes a total of 71 MPs, although it could function with 55 MPs if the current constitutional cap remains in place, allowing the Electoral Commission some flexibility in adjusting the numbers. Prof. Narsey clarified that his views reflect his personal stance and do not encompass those of other review team members.
These discussions align with ongoing critiques of Fiji’s current electoral framework, which has faced scrutiny for failing to promote genuine local representation. Advocates for reform stress the importance of enhancing the relationship between constituents and their representatives, as many citizens have expressed concerns over the disconnect caused by the current system. This momentum towards reform indicates a collective aspiration for a more inclusive and engaged government, ensuring every voice in Fiji is echoed in the halls of power.
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