A New Zealand lawyer, who has acted for Fiji's former chief justice, says Ratu Josefa Iloilo's actions in April made him lose his official status as president only to become a usurper.
The claim is being made by Auckland QC Grant Illingworth in a publocation of the Auckland District Law Society.
He says in claiming to be clothed with a new form of self-invented authority, Ratu Josefa made the same foolish mistake as the naked emperor in Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale.
Mr Illingworth QC says by Ratu Josefa claiming to be clothed with a new form of self-invented authority, Fiji is now being led by an emperor who has no authority to be president.
But he says if the populace give their tacit support to the usurper, there is a danger that they may eventually be taken to have clothed him with their approval.
Ratu Josefa said he abrogated the constitution two months ago when the court of appeal had declared the post-coup interim regime illegal.
