Online Influencer Launches ‘Free Palestine’ Party to Funnel Votes to Right Side of Politics

Prominent political commentator Avi Yemini has announced plans for a “Free Palestine Party” ahead of Victoria’s upcoming state election in November.

Yemini, who has been an outspoken opponent of the free Palestine movement, said the party would purposely target a loophole in the Victorian voting system while also funnelling votes to conservative parties who believe in ‘freeing Palestine’ from the rule of terror group Hamas.

The popular commentator says he now has the 1,500 members to officially register the party in time for it to become a contender in the 2026 election.

Yemini said his method would target group voting, a practice in Victoria that allows voters to select a party in the upper house, with that party then distributing preferences among its chosen candidates.

The system is controversial because it can allow preferences to be traded between parties without voters necessarily being informed of where they’re flowing.

Yemini claimed Labor had used this method to its advantage and that the only way to bring Victoria’s legislation into line with other states was to set an example whereby preferences would flow to the right, rather than the left.

“It [group voting] is just here in Victoria, because essentially, it gets Labor in every time,” he said in a video posted online.

“Maybe after this year’s conservative taking advantage of it too, it will finally be canned. But for now, it’s there.

“We’re going to flow our preferences on to parties that want to free Palestine from Hamas.”

Greens Call for Voting Method to be Scrapped

The Victorian Greens have criticised both Yemini and Labor for allegedly exploiting a loophole in the state’s voting system.

“Group voting tickets are seriously dodgy,” Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell said in a statement.

“The fact that Labor is refusing to get rid of them is even dodgier.

“How can Labor condone a voting system that allows people to be tricked into voting for a party with a fake name that is completely opposed to their values?”

Victorian Greens integrity spokesperson Tim Read also said group voting tickets should be abolished because multiple parliamentary inquiries had found them to be undemocratic.

Victorian Premier’s Response

When addressing the announcement of Yemini’s political party, Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan kept her responses measured.

“I expect everyone to comply with the rules whether they’re members of parliament, whether they’re candidates running for political office,” she said.

“How they choose to present themselves to the electorate is a matter for them. It’s important that we do have honesty and transparency in our political system.

When asked whether she considered Yemini’s initiative was deceptive, Allan said: “I think he [Yemini] is well and truly capable of speaking for himself.”

Monica Smit’s ‘Save the Environment’ Party

Yemini is not the only politically conservative commentator to push back against the group voting system by forming a niche party to challenge it.

Anti-lockdown campaigner Monica Smit is reportedly Yemini’s inspiration for starting a party of his own to divert left-wing votes to conservative causes.

Smit’s intended party, called ‘Save the Environment’, also aims to cast a wide net over left-leaning voters while setting an example of the vulnerability of the voting system.

“All the right people are losing their minds over my ‘save the environment party’ and Avi’s ‘Free Palestine Party’,” she said on Facebook.

“Authorities are warning there are no grounds to complain about them.

“Go on … abolish group voting tickets and let One Nation clean up the upper house.”

The Epoch Times has contacted the Victorian Electoral Commission for comment.