Dialogue Fiji is gravely concerned by recent public statements from Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka indicating that the ongoing constitutional review process may include consideration of changes to Fiji's electoral system.
Executive Director, Nilesh Lal confirms Dialogue Fiji has written to the Electoral Commission to publicly affirm the importance of electoral stability and legal certainty and to make clear that any attempt to alter Fiji's electoral system at this late stage would be inconsistent with internationally accepted democratic standards.
Lal says the timing of such discussions could not be more problematic.
He says the constitutional deadline for Fiji's next general election is 6th February 2027, and Fiji is therefore now less than eight months away from the latest possible date for the next national election.
Lal says more importantly, the Electoral Commission has already declared the election campaign period.
He says the campaign is therefore no longer a future event as it has already begun.
Dialogue Fiji says political parties are already recruiting candidates, raising funds, developing campaign strategies, allocating resources and engaging voters based on the existing electoral framework, yet they are now being told that the very rules governing the election may still be subject to change.
Lal says this creates an extraordinary and unacceptable level of uncertainty.
He says the Venice Commission's internationally recognised Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters states that the fundamental elements of electoral law, particularly the electoral system itself, should not be amended less than one year before an election.
Dialogue Fiji says changing the electoral system mere months before an election is akin to changing the rules of a game after the players have already entered the field.
It says if Fiji proceeds down this path, it risks creating a democratic scandal of significant proportions.
Dialogue Fiji is further concerned that under the current constitutional review timetable, any proposed electoral system changes may not be finalised until November 2026 at the earliest, even under the most optimistic scenario.
This would leave barely two to three months before the latest constitutional deadline for the next general election.
Lal says such a timeframe would be grossly inadequate.
He adds an election management body cannot reasonably be expected to maintain public confidence in an electoral process where the rules remain uncertain during an active campaign period and may be altered only weeks before polling day.
Lal says the Electoral Commission has a fundamental responsibility not merely to administer elections but to safeguard their integrity.
He says this includes protecting public confidence in the electoral process and ensuring that all electoral contestants operate under a stable and predictable legal framework.
