Calls made to lower 5% threshold for independent candidates in elections

Calls are being made to lower the 5 percent threshold for independent candidates in the general elections, as it is too high and unfairly equal to that of political parties.

According to current electoral laws, an independent candidate needs to get 5 percent of the votes to get a seat in Parliament.

An independent candidate also requires 1,000 signatures to get endorsement from the Fijian Elections Office to contest the election.

While making submissions to the Fiji Electoral Law Reform Commission, Ilisoni Tuinayau says the threshold should be halved.

He says this is a big drop but in reality, it could work.

Commission member Doctor Deidre Brooks says that's a similar figure to what a lot of other people are suggesting and other countries with similar systems often have lower threshold as well.

Meanwhile, Farm Road, Nausori resident, Samula Savu says restrictions on the names of political parties being only English should be removed.

He further says there should not be any restrictions on board members of government owned companies from being political party members.

Public consultations on the review of the Electoral Act 2014, the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012, and the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013 will continue in Rotuma tomorrow