Deputies move to end TV presidential debates

Televised political debates which attract millions of viewers in other countries, and can sometimes make or break a candidate’s chance of election,  could be over in  Panama.

In Spain last week, 12 million viewers watched  a televised debate between between the two leading contenders to head the government, before the presidential election on November 20.

In Panama, if members of the ruling Democratic Change party (CD) and some breakaway opposition supporters have their way, voters have seen the last of candidates  publicly locking of horns,.

CD deputies and Panamanista Party dissidents who, decided in September to approve a proposal to delete Article 43 of the first block of the proposed electoral reforms, which contained an obligation to present two televised debates between presidential candidates.

If the proposed electoral reforms as they exist today go through, Panamanian citizens. will lose that opportunity. The move is opposed by the Electoral Tribunal  civil groups and business associations

For Roberto Troncoso, who represented the National Business Council (Conep) and the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDA), National Commission on Electoral Reforms (CNRE), the elimination of the presidential debates means: "Politicians today are not interested in raising the debate, not interested in improving the political culture of our people.”

Troncoso said  that soon the Civic Forum, plans to campaign to repudiate the decision of the deputies to remove some important reforms including  transparency, spending caps on political campaigns and the regulation of presidential debate.

He said that debates help raise the level of political culture, increase transparency and help voters to know what they think about the issues that matter to the country and even helps voters to detect when a candidate lies.

The presiding judge of the Electoral Tribunal,, Gerardo Solis, said that the two debates allows for the electorate intellectually or emotionally able to calibrate, rationally or emotionally to candidates, which is of paramount importance if the vote is enlightened and not a blind bet.

Without  them  voters will go to the polls heavily influenced by advertising propaganda. "The debate is very important because it will allow voters to know the  capacity  of the candidates and the political feasibility of proposals becoming  reality, if   a certain candidate wins."

Solis said  that in practice it is very difficult for people who identify emotionally with a candidate to change position, but people who rationally and intellectually analyze the proposals of candidates, the debate may be influenced.

After learning of the decision of the deputies said La Prensa, Judge Solis said the absence of debates weaken democratic institutions, while expressed his confidence that the position of deputies to remove the presidential debates of the proposed electoral reforms can change

In the current Electoral Code there is no rule requiring mandatory debates. Solis stressed that having a legal standard, would set a moral obligation and the debate would be coordinated by the TE.

The deputy chairman of the Government Commission, Hernán Delgado (CD) was one of those who endorsed the proposal to remove the discussions.

He said he voted to eliminate the debates because of party discipline, despite being in favor of face to face exchanges between presidential candidates.