📣 We’re now the Centre for Democracy & Dialogue (CDD) — formerly Dialogue Fiji. Learn more →
📣 We’re now the Centre for Democracy & Dialogue (CDD) — formerly Dialogue Fiji. Learn more →
← Module 1 · Understanding Fiji’s Political System
Fiji’s executive branch carries out the day-to-day work of governing the country. It develops policy, administers ministries and public services, prepares the national budget and implements the laws passed by Parliament.
The executive includes both the President and the elected Government, but their roles are different. The President is Head of State. The Prime Minister is Head of Government and leads Cabinet.
The executive turns laws and policies into administration. Parliament may pass a law establishing a programme, creating an offence or authorising expenditure, but ministries and other public bodies must put that law into effect.
Executive work includes preparing policies, managing public services, collecting revenue, spending money authorised by Parliament, negotiating with other countries, administering legislation and coordinating the public service.
Much of what citizens experience as government is executive activity. Schools, hospitals, roads, licensing, policing, social assistance and public administration are managed through ministries, departments and statutory bodies under legal authority.
The President is Fiji’s Head of State and represents the continuity and unity of the State. Executive authority is formally vested in the President, but the Constitution requires the President to act on the advice of Cabinet, a Minister or another body specified for the particular function.
This makes the office largely ceremonial rather than politically executive. The President does not normally design government policy or choose between competing political programmes.
The President opens each annual session of Parliament with an address outlining the Government’s policies and programmes. The President also assents to Bills passed by Parliament and makes appointments when advised by the person or institution identified in the Constitution.
The President is the ceremonial Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. Operational authority over the military is not exercised as a personal political power of the President.
The President is appointed by Parliament. When the office becomes vacant, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition each nominate one person. MPs vote, and the nominee supported by a majority of the members present is appointed.
If both sides nominate the same person, no vote is needed. If the two nominees receive equal votes, further voting takes place under the procedure in the Constitution.
A presidential nominee must have had a distinguished career in national or international life, hold only Fijian citizenship, and not be a member or office holder of a political party. Other qualification rules also apply.
The President serves for three years and may be reappointed once for one further three-year term.
The Prime Minister leads the elected Government and chairs Cabinet. The Prime Minister must be an MP.
The office carries major political and administrative responsibility. The Prime Minister provides overall direction to the Government, appoints Ministers, allocates ministerial portfolios and coordinates the work of Cabinet.
The Prime Minister may assign responsibility for parts of government business to Ministers, including responsibility for ministries, laws or disciplined forces. Any responsibility that is not specifically assigned remains with the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister also plays an important role in constitutional appointments, either directly or through institutions such as the Constitutional Offices Commission.
If one political party wins more than half of all seats in Parliament, the elected leader of that party assumes office as Prime Minister after taking the required oath before the President.
If no party wins more than half of the seats, Parliament chooses the Prime Minister at its first sitting. MPs may nominate candidates. If more than one person is nominated, the Speaker conducts a vote. A nominee must receive the support of more than half of all MPs.
This situation may lead political parties to negotiate a coalition or a formal agreement for parliamentary support. The person appointed as Prime Minister must be able to maintain the confidence of Parliament.
The Constitution uses a constructive motion of no confidence. This means that a motion seeking to remove a Prime Minister must also name the MP who is proposed as the replacement. If a majority supports the motion, the existing Prime Minister leaves office and the proposed replacement assumes office after being sworn in.
Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and the number of Ministers determined by the Prime Minister. Ministers are generally appointed from among MPs who belong to the governing party, coalition or supporting group.
Each Minister is usually responsible for one or more portfolios, such as finance, education, health, agriculture or foreign affairs. The exact names and distribution of portfolios may change when the Prime Minister reorganises Cabinet.
Cabinet is the central decision-making body of Government. It considers major policies, legislative proposals, the national budget and the overall direction of ministries.
Cabinet responsibility has two parts. Individual responsibility means that a Minister is answerable for the portfolio assigned to that Minister. Collective responsibility means that Cabinet is accountable as a group for the Government’s decisions and direction.
The Prime Minister may remove a Minister. A Minister also leaves office by resigning or by ceasing to be or qualify as an MP, subject to the special rule for an Attorney-General appointed from outside Parliament.
The Attorney-General is the Government’s chief legal adviser and is a member of Cabinet. The person must be a qualified legal practitioner with at least 15 years of post-admission practice and must meet the other constitutional requirements.
Normally, a Minister must be an MP. However, the Constitution allows the Prime Minister to appoint a qualified person from outside Parliament as Attorney-General if no suitable and available supporting MP meets the requirements.
An Attorney-General appointed from outside Parliament may sit and speak in Parliament and participate in Cabinet but cannot vote in Parliament. This is an exception to the usual rule that Ministers are MPs.
The Constitution states that governments must have the confidence of Parliament. Cabinet members are individually and collectively accountable to Parliament for their powers and functions.
A Minister must appear before Parliament or a parliamentary committee when required and answer questions about matters for which the Minister is responsible. Cabinet members must also provide Parliament with full and regular reports.
In practice, a Government with a disciplined majority can usually pass its legislation and survive parliamentary votes. Accountability therefore depends not only on formal votes but also on questions, committee examination, public reporting, audit, media scrutiny and informed debate.
Courts provide a different form of accountability. They do not decide whether a government policy is popular, but they may determine whether executive action is authorised by law and consistent with the Constitution.
A candidate should understand the difference between being an MP and being a Minister. Every Minister, apart from the special possible exception for the Attorney-General, is an MP, but most MPs are not Ministers.
An MP takes part in law-making, representation and scrutiny. A Minister has the additional responsibility of directing a government portfolio and answering to Parliament for its administration.
Candidates should not promise that election as an MP will automatically give them control over a ministry or public programme. Ministerial appointment is made by the Prime Minister after the Government is formed.
A candidate should also understand coalition politics. A party may win seats without winning a majority. Its MPs may then have to decide whether to join a coalition, support a government from outside Cabinet or sit in Opposition. Those choices can shape the country’s leadership and policy direction.
