Introducing the FPR Constitutional Reference
An independent annotated reference to the 2013 Constitution — plain language explanations, FPR analysis, and CRC Watch notes. Free and publicly accessible.
With Fiji's Constitutional Review Commission four months from its report deadline, understanding what the 2013 Constitution actually says has never been more important.
The Fiji Political Review has published a free interactive reference to the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013, every significant provision explained in plain language, connected to the current review, and fully searchable.
The reference is available now at fijipoliticalreview.com/fiji-constitution/
What the reference covers
The tool encompasses the most significant provisions across Fiji's twelve constitutional chapters — from the core values in Chapter 1, to the amendment process in Chapter 11, and including the immunity provisions in Chapter 10 that are protected from any parliamentary change.
Each provision includes the exact constitutional text and the FPR's independent analytical annotation. Contested provisions include topic tags for quick reference and a CRC Watch note connecting the provision to what the Commission must address before August 2026.
Provisions covered include:
s.2 — Supremacy of the Constitution, and why Chapter 10's immunity provisions undermine it
s.26 — The equality clause the Great Council of Chiefs proposes to amend, and what that would mean for Fiji's international human rights obligations
s.63 — The party discipline provision that requires MPs to vote with their party on all matters, eliminating conscience votes
s.104 — The Judicial Services Commission, and the structural independence questions its composition raises
s.131 — The Republic of Fiji Military Forces' "well-being" mandate, and why it is unlike any provision in a comparable democratic constitution
s.158 — The immunity provisions that are constitutionally permanent — beyond the reach of Parliament, the courts, or any referendum
s.160 — The amendment procedure changed by the Supreme Court's landmark advisory opinion of 29 August 2025
A note on accuracy
All section numbers in the FPR's reference have been verified against the primary text of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013. Readers are encouraged to consult the primary text at parliament.gov.fj alongside the FPR's annotations.
The reference is a living document — it will be updated as the Constitutional Review Commission's deliberations develop and as significant new submissions or decisions emerge.
Why now
The CRC's report is due 31 August 2026. The Commission is currently in its nationwide consultation phase. Several of the most contested provisions in the Constitution are before the Commission now: the equality clause, the electoral system, the military's mandate, and the fundamental question of what to do about a Chapter that cannot be amended.
Democratic accountability begins with constitutional literacy. This reference is the FPR's contribution to both.
