8.1 Outline of Fiji’s legal environment

8.1.1 Constitutional structure

Fiji is a constitutional democracy. It gained colonial independence from the United Kingdom in 1970 and established a republic. There were three subsequent constitutions establishing the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government together with a bill of rights. The most recent constitution, Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013, declares Fiji as a sovereign democratic state. The Head of State is the President of Fiji, who has a ceremonial function in the governance of the country (assent is required to formalise Acts of Parliament). The executive branch consists of the President, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet. Fiji’s Parliament consists of a single House of Representatives with 51 seats on a multi-member open list system of proportional representation with a single national constituency.