New political party seeks registration ahead of election

Fiji's political landscape could soon become more crowded after the proposed Liberation of Fiji Party formally submitted its application for registration to the Fijian Elections Office (FEO).

A delegation led by Veronica and Manoa Malani presented the party's registration documents to the Supervisor of Elections as part of the registration process today.

Ms Mataiciwa said the FEO would now begin the next stage of the registration process, which includes publishing the party's application in a newspaper and the Gazette as required under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.

“Once the publication is made, the objections period will officially open,” Ms Mataiciwa said.

“Any person may submit a written objection to the FEO regarding the party’s application for registration, during the objections period.

“We will assess and respond to all objections within seven (7) days of receipt, after giving the proposed party an opportunity to respond, and afterwards inform both the objectors and the applicant party of the decision.”

The Registrar said a decision on whether the proposed party would be registered would only be made after the objections process had been completed.

She said the application would undergo a thorough compliance assessment against the requirements of the Political Parties Act.

The proposed party will then be advised whether its application has been approved or rejected.

Ms Mataiciwa reiterated the importance of transparency and public participation in the registration process.

The FEO said the process ensures all proposed political parties meet legal requirements while allowing members of the public an opportunity to raise concerns before a final decision is made.

The application comes as political parties continue to position themselves ahead of Fiji's next General Election.