Miss Universe Voting Sparks Row as Miss Palestine Questions ‘Unjust’ Results

The Miss Universe 2025 voting controversy deepened after Miss Palestine Nadeen Ayoub publicly questioned the integrity of the competition’s app-based fan voting. Ayoub, the first Palestinian woman to participate in Miss Universe, said that sudden, unexplained changes in the “Most Beautiful People” category appeared “unjust” and inconsistent with the voting pattern.

In a video posted on November 23, Ayoub said her concern was about fairness, not disappointment. “I stand for justice, and I will stand up for what I believe is wrong,” she said, noting that she was not challenging the judges or the outcome of the pageant itself, but the transparency of the fan-vote system.

The Only Category Left Open

Ayoub explained that all other app-based fan categories had closed with winners announced, except the “Most Beautiful People” category, where she had been leading. She remained in first place until about 30 minutes before the scheduled closure. Then, she said, another contestant gained over 20,000 votes “within two minutes,” a jump she described as unrealistic unless multiple accounts were voting simultaneously or the change was generated internally. Ayoub did not accuse any contestant directly, and although visuals showed Miss Tanzania as her closest rival, she did not name anyone.

As of her statement, the Miss Universe Organisation had not provided a public explanation regarding how the votes were counted or why this category remained open. Ayoub stressed that her concern was not about losing a digital award. “I’ve already won the biggest prize by being Miss Palestine, by being the voice of my people,” she said, describing her presence on stage as an act of cultural representation.

Fan-voting systems in beauty pageants have faced ongoing scrutiny, and Ayoub’s experience adds to questions about consistency and transparency in publicly promoted competitions. Whether the sudden vote surge resulted from technical issues, coordinated mass voting, or internal processes remains unknown.

This year’s Miss Universe event also saw unrelated disruptions, including contestant walk-outs and an incident where Miss Nigeria fell off the stage. These episodes contributed to growing criticism of the event’s organisation.

Ayoub did not allege fraud, but her concerns highlight potential issues related to transparency, fairness, and the reliability of app-based public voting. When a public vote is promoted as part of a competition, organisers may have obligations to ensure accurate counting, consistent rules, and non-misleading representations. If voting processes appear irregular or poorly explained, organisers could face questions over consumer trust and procedural fairness.

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