The Coalition Government did not have enough parliamentary votes to amend the 2013 Constitution after the 2022 general elections, with People’s Alliance General Secretary Sila Balawa saying it had only 29 MPs against the required 42 votes under the original 75 percent threshold.
Balawa says this is an important factor to consider when questioning why the Coalition Government did not amend the Constitution within its first 100 days or first two years in office.
He says following the 2022 general elections, Parliament had 55 seats, with FijiFirst holding 26, the People’s Alliance 21, the National Federation Party 5 and SODELPA 3.
The Coalition Government was formed with 29 MPs, giving it a narrow majority over FijiFirst’s 26 MPs.
However, under the original 2013 Constitution, constitutional amendments required a 75 percent parliamentary majority, meaning at least 42 votes out of 55.
Balawa questions where the Government was expected to find the additional 13 votes during its first 100 days.
He says the parliamentary situation changed after FijiFirst was deregistered in July 2024, when its 26 MPs became Independents.
In January 2025, nine former FijiFirst MPs, known as the G9, joined the Government, increasing its parliamentary strength from 29 to 38 MPs.
In March 2025, two more former FijiFirst MPs, Sachida Nand and Shalen Kumar, joined the group, bringing the number of Independents supporting the Government to 11, known as the G11.
Despite these changes, Balawa says the original three-quarters threshold remained a major obstacle to constitutional amendments.
He says the legal position changed on 29th August 2025, when the Supreme Court clarified that constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of all Members of Parliament at the second and third readings, rather than the previous three-quarters requirement.
Balawa says this created a legal pathway for constitutional reform.
According to Balawa, the Speaker’s ruling in October 2026 requires 35 votes if all 53 MPs occupying parliamentary seats are present and seated.
He says the People’s Alliance has 20 MPs, the NFP has 4 and the G11 Independents have 11, giving them a combined total of 35 votes without the support of SODELPA’s three MPs, provided all those members support the Bill.
However, Balawa questions SODELPA’s decision not to support the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026 in its current form.
He says SODELPA campaigned during the 2014, 2018 and 2022 general elections on protecting iTaukei interests and opposing the 2013 Constitution.
He also points to the Coalition Agreement, which committed the Government to reviewing the Constitution and considering amendments.
Balawa questions why SODELPA would campaign for constitutional change over three general elections but withhold its support when the opportunity to make changes is now available.
He acknowledges that SODELPA has every right to scrutinise Bill 32 but says the party has a responsibility to explain to its supporters why it will not support the Bill in its current form.
Balawa argues that the Government should not be blamed for failing to amend the Constitution when it did not have the necessary parliamentary numbers, only for the process to be opposed now that the numbers and legal pathway are available.
He says the key question is whether SODELPA still stands by the commitments it made to voters in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
