Electoral changes plan heads to Assembly

THE FUTURE  of  proposed changes in to Panama’s electoral code, is now in the hands of the National Assembly whose members would be most affected .

The  Electoral Tribunal (TE) has submitted its proposals and they  will be debated by the Assembly’s Legislative Commission beginning Wednesday.

High on the list of proposed changes are ones stating that no new elections will be held in the event of the invalidity of a candidate or the disqualification of a declared winner.

Instead, the person receiving the second-highest vote total will take office.

The proposal was made because , in 2014, several people were disqualified from taking office,  for often flagrant violations,  including vote buying, but  were returned to office when the election was held a second time.

The reforms also address the rates that media can charge for political advertisements to ensure candidates have equal access.

Commission Chairman Quibian Panay said that the proposals have already been distributed to members, who are preparing for the debate week.

Carlos Gasnell, of Transparency International, said that it remains to be seen whether or not the proposed changes can be debated in a non-partisan way.