[Photo: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/FACEBOOK PAGE]

The People First party is calling for Fiji to retain the 2013 electoral system, supporting a single national constituency under the principle of one person, one vote, one value.

Presenting its submission on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026 to Parliament’s Special Committee, Mohammed Saiyaz Khan argued that the system gives every citizen equal voting weight and encourages national unity.

According to Khan, the system reduces the risk of electoral boundary manipulation.

“From a democratic standpoint this system guarantees equal voting weight for every citizen eliminates the risk of boundary manipulation minimizes wasted votes through proportional representation and encourages leaders to pursue national unity rather than divisive communal or regional politics.”

The party also recommended removing clause 94 concerning electoral boundaries, arguing that it would not be needed if Fiji remained a single national constituency.

However, Special Committee member Siromi Turaga challenged the position.

“Are you aware that of the CRC recommendations and from the submissions made it was overwhelmingly people want to know who are their reps so they want a constituency based and the very fact that you did not participate that did not help you could have raised those issues before the CRC.”

People First Candidate, Rinesh Sharma, maintained that the party had clearly stated its position.

“We have stated our position very clearly and in terms of how much of the recommendations from the CRC has been adopted into the actual bill again it’s questionable how much of the 2013 clauses have been adapted it’s questionable and we are here to put our case to the committee for your deliberation it’s simple.”

Sharma says People First stayed out of the Constitutional Review Commission process because it questioned its legitimacy.

He says the party is taking part in Parliament to examine the Bill and represent voters, but this does not mean it supports the changes.