Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)
| Leader of the Opposition of the Republic of Fiji | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of the Republic of Fiji | |
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| Term length | While leader of the largest political party in Parliament that is not in government |
| Inaugural holder | Sidiq Koya |
| Formation | 10 October 1970 |
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In Fiji, the Leader of the Opposition (or Opposition Leader) is a senior politician who commands the support of the Official Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition is, by convention, the leader of the largest political party in the Parliament of Fiji that is not in government. This is usually this is the parliamentary leader of the second-largest caucus in Parliament. It did not originate in Fiji but has a long tradition; in British constitutional theory, the Leader of the Opposition must pose a formal alternative to the government, ready to form a government himself should the Prime Minister lose the confidence of the parliament.
Typically the leader of the Opposition is elected by his or her party according to its rules. A new leader may be elected when the incumbent dies, resigns, or is challenged for the leadership. Inia Seruiratu of the FijiFirst party (independent since 2024[1]) has been serving as the leader of the opposition since 29 March 2023.[2]
Description of the office
[edit]The Leader of the Opposition is chosen by a vote of all members of Parliament who declare that they do not support the government. But before the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, the Leader of the Opposition was formally appointed by the President. The appointment was not at the president's personal discretion, however, as he was required by the Constitution to appoint the person most acceptable to the majority of the Opposition (defined as members of the House of Representatives who belong to political parties not represented in the Cabinet). In theory, that meant the parliamentary leader of the largest Opposition party. In practice, the person most eligible could decline the office, as was the case between 2001 and 2004, when Mahendra Chaudhry, whose Labour Party held 28 of the 30 Opposition seats in the House of Representatives, adamantly refused to accept the position of Leader of the Opposition, insisting that he and his party wanted representation in the Cabinet instead. Until he reversed his position late in 2004 (following the collapse of negotiations with Prime Minister Qarase), this forced the President to appoint Mick Beddoes, the sole parliamentary representative of the United General Party, as Leader of the Opposition.
Under the 1997 Constitution, the Leader of the Opposition chose 8 of the 32 members of the Senate, Fiji's upper house of Parliament, and had the right to be consulted about the appointment of the Chief Justice.
List of leaders of the opposition in Fiji (1970–present)
[edit]| No. | Portrait | Leader | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Election | Prime minister(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sidiq Koya (1924–1993) | 1970 | 1977 | 6–7 years | NFP | 1972 1977 (Mar) | Mara | ||
| 2 | Jai Ram Reddy (1937–2022) | 1977 | 1984 | 6–7 years | NFP | 1977 (Sep) 1982 | Mara | ||
| (1) | Sidiq Koya (1924–1993) | 1984 | 1987 | 2–3 years | NFP | — | Mara | ||
| 3 | Harish Sharma (born 1932) | 1987 | 1987 | 0 years | NFP | — | Mara | ||
| 4 | Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920–2004) | 13 April 1987 | 14 May 1987 | 31 days | Alliance | 1987 | Bavadra | ||
| Vacant (14 May 1987 – 3 April 1992) | |||||||||
| (2) | Jai Ram Reddy (1937–2022) | 3 April 1992 | 28 August 1999 | 7 years, 147 days | NFP | 1992 1994 | Rabuka | ||
| 5 | Ratu Inoke Kubuabola (born 1948) | 28 August 1999 | 3 October 2000 | 1 year, 36 days | SVT | 1999 | Chaudhry Momoedonu | ||
| Vacant (3 October 2000 – 3 July 2001) | |||||||||
| 6 | Prem Singh | 3 July 2001 | 17 April 2002 | 288 days | NFP | 2001 | Qarase | ||
| 7 | Mick Beddoes | 17 April 2002 | 21 November 2004 | 2 years, 218 days | UPP | — | Qarase | ||
| 8 | Mahendra Chaudhry (born 1942) | 21 November 2004 | 3 June 2006 | 1 year, 194 days | Labour | — | Qarase | ||
| (7) | Mick Beddoes | 3 June 2006 | 5 December 2006 | 185 days | UPP | 2006 | Qarase | ||
| Vacant (5 December 2006 – 6 October 2014) | |||||||||
| 9 | Ro Teimumu Kepa (born 1945) [3][4] | 6 October 2014 | 20 November 2018 | 4 years, 45 days | SODELPA | 2014 | Bainimarama | ||
| 10 | Major general (Rtd) Sitiveni Rabuka (born 1948) [5] | 26 November 2018 [a] | 7 December 2020 | 2 years, 11 days | SODELPA | 2018 | Bainimarama | ||
| 11 | Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu (born 1953) | 8 December 2020 | 24 December 2022 | 2 years, 16 days | SODELPA | — | Bainimarama | ||
| 12 | Rear admiral (Rtd) Frank Bainimarama (born 1954) | 24 December 2022 | 8 March 2023 | 74 days | FijiFirst | 2022 | Rabuka | ||
| 13 | Inia Seruiratu | 29 March 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 267 days | Independent (FijiFirst 2023–24) | — | Rabuka | ||
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Timeline
[edit]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Suspended from 26 May to 29 June 2020.
References
[edit]- ^ Navitalai Naivalurua (5 August 2024). "Opposition splits in 2 - One led by Seruiratu, the other will be led by Naivalurua". Fiji Village. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Seruiratu is the new Opposition Leader".
- ^ "Members of Parliament". Parliament of the Republic of Fiji. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ Fijivillage. "Sitiveni Rabuka elected as SODELPA Party Leader". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ "I am ready, say Rabuka". FijiTimes. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.