Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)

Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent Teimumu Kepa[1] since 6 October 2014
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government

Fiji
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Fiji
Constitution History
Executive President Jioji Konrote Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Cabinet Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Leader of the Opposition Teimumu Kepa
Legislative Parliament Speaker: Jiko Luveni
Judiciary Supreme Court Court of Appeal High Court
Local government Recent municipal elections 2002 2005
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Elections Electoral system Voting Constituencies Open Communal National Political parties Recent elections Parliamentary: 2014 2018 Presidential: 2000 2006
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The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. 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.

Description of the office

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)

№		Leader	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Prime Minister
1		Koya, SidiqSidiq Koya (1924–1993)	1970	1977	6–7 years	NFP	Kamisese Mara
2		Reddy, Jai RamJai Ram Reddy (born 1937)	1977	1984	6–7 years	NFP	Kamisese Mara
(1)		Koya, SidiqSidiq Koya (1924–1993)	1984	1987	2–3 years	NFP	Kamisese Mara
3		Sharma, HarishHarish Sharma (born 1932)	1987	1987	0 years	NFP	Kamisese Mara
4		Mara, KamiseseRatu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920–2004)	1987	1987	0 years	Alliance	Timoci Bavadra
Vacant (1987 – 1992)
(2)		Reddy, Jai RamJai Ram Reddy (born 1937)	1992	1999	6–7 years	NFP	Sitiveni Rabuka
5		Kubuabola, InokeRatu Inoke Kubuabola (born 1948)	1999	2000	0–1 years	SVT	Mahendra Chaudhry Tevita Momoedonu
Vacant (2000 – 2001)
6		Singh, PremPrem Singh	2001	2002	0–1 years	NFP	Laisenia Qarase
7		Beddoes, MickMick Beddoes	2002	2004	1–2 years	UPP	Laisenia Qarase
8		Chaudhry, MahendraMahendra Chaudhry (born 1942)	2004	2006	1–2 years	Labour	Laisenia Qarase
(7)		Beddoes, MickMick Beddoes	2006	2006	0 years	UPP	Laisenia Qarase
Vacant (2006 – 2014)
8		Kepa, TeimumuRo Teimumu Kepa (born 1945) [2][3]	6 October 2014	Incumbent	7003146700000000000♠4 years, 6 days	SODELPA	Frank Bainimarama

Notes

See also

• List of political parties in Fiji
• House of Representatives of Fiji

References