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Published: Friday, July 31, 2009
Bylined to: Patrick J. O'Donoghue
Election processes law to be passed confirming proportional representation
 VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports: The National Assembly (AN) is expected to pass the electoral processes law today, Friday. The second and final reading of the bill started on yesterday afternoon when House president, Cilia Flores declared Parliament in permanent session. By 11 o'clock last night, 208 of 210 articles and six final dispositions had been passed leaving two more articles to be debated before a final reading of the complete text.
The law replaces the electoral law that dates from the Fourth Republic. According to sources, the draft bill has been modified after a national consultation process. However, it is clear that the principle of participation and protagonism on the part of citizens in the process has been reaffirmed. The new law also defines more clearly the attributes of the National Elections Council (CNE) in planning, organizing, executing and proclaiming respective electoral processes.
 Pro-government deputies maintain that the CNE will have more power to regulate and set up rules to allow for an efficient and transparent electoral system starting from a totally non-partisan electoral register.
The adjudication system on proportional representation will be clarified according to percentages of votes received by candidates. Electoral districts will take into account groupings of municipalities, parishes and combinations of both.
The new law will stipulate that in high population density parishes the electoral districts could be made up of communities or communes and in the case of electoral alliances nominal votes will not affect the p roportional election. The CNE has been given more authority to proceed in applying penalties.
It has been learned that during last night's debate deputies belonging to the Podemos party voted against Article 8, which, they claim, bestows legality on the highly-questioned "twinning" (morochas) system of voting and excludes minority votes.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com
http://www.vheadline.com/patrick
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