Fiji's former prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been thrown out of Fiji's parliament and suspended for three years after delivering a divisive speech this week.
The suspension of Mr Bainimarama, now Fiji's opposition leader, was decided via a vote in the Fijian Parliament in a late night sitting on Friday.
A former military coup leader, Mr Bainimarama led Fiji for almost 16 years before losing December's general election to Sitiveni Rabuka, Fiji's new prime minister.
Mr Bainimarama's speech, which he delivered in parliament on Monday, criticised the president, the house of Parliament and the new prime minister.
He also accused the new government of "setting out to destroy constitutional democracy" and called on the military to act.
A Privileges Committee, which sat for three days, found Mr Bainimarama's speech was an abuse of parliamentary privilege.
"Seditious words were uttered that breached the standing orders," Lynda Tabuya, a member of the Privileges Committee, told parliament.
Mr Bainimarama has also been ordered to apologise to the president and the public.
His suspension means Fiji is now without an opposition leader in parliament.
FijiFirst MP Alvick Maharaj told reporters outside parliament that the opposition would decide before the March sitting whether or not a replacement for Mr Bainimarama was necessary.
Speaking in parliament on Friday, Mr Rabuka, Fiji's prime minister since December, called Mr Bainimarama's speech a "sad" event.
"This is a very serious matter," he said.
Mr Rabuka said his party would govern for "all Fijians".
Separately, in a passionate opening speech to parliament earlier in the day, Fiji’s new attorney general Siromi Turaga described the day as a "new chapter for Fiji".
"Today is the day of restoration," he said.
"Let the rivers of justice flow.
"The people of Fiji have been praying for past 16 years, praying for freedom. No one is above the law [the people] expect independence."
