Fiji Labour Party Questions Coalition's Backtrack on 2022 Elections Audit

The Fiji Labour Party (FLP) has criticized the Coalition Government for reversing its commitment to an independent external audit into the controversial four-hour glitch that disrupted vote counting on election night in December 2022.

In a Cabinet decision on February 19, 2025, the government declared that the glitch was the result of human error and did not warrant further investigation. However, FLP argues that this contradicts earlier assurances from then Attorney General Siromi Turaga, who had emphasized in February 2023 that an audit was a matter of national interest.

The FLP further pointed out that the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) announced on March 3, 2025, that it would begin burning the 2022 ballot papers and other election materials, eliminating any possibility of future audits or independent reviews.

Labour also noted that similar glitches occurred in the 2014 and 2018 elections, raising concerns about the credibility of Fiji’s electoral process.

The party questions whether the Coalition Government fears an independent audit and whether a similar glitch is planned for the 2026 elections.