Political parties, justice get failing grades

ONLY 10% of Panamanians, put any trust in the country’s five political parties, while  19% trusted the executive and 22%  the judiciary. report Latinobarómetro report 2017, made public on October 26.

The study across Latin America involved interviews of 20,000 people in 18 countries including   1,000 in the isthmus.

The level of trust in political parties was similar to the response across  the board. But in neighboring Costa Rica, 45% said they trusted the Judiciary, which made it the region with the highest belief in the institutions of justice.

The study also says that 37% of Panamanians interviewed say that the country has progressed “somewhat ” in reducing corruption in state institutions. But also expressed the belief that the police, judges and officials can be bribed.

In Panama there are currently five political parties: the Democratic Revolutionary Party  (PRD), the Panameñista Party, Democratic Change (CD), the Republican-Liberal Nationalist Movement (Molirena), and the Popular Party(PP) There are also two other groupings that are about to receive the endorsement of the Electoral Tribunal (TE) to become political collectives

Until last June, 1.3 million Panamanians were registered in parties, according to the TE.