On Thursday, 17 December 2015, administrative minister of the Presidency Jose Ramon Peralta called for the approval of the Political Parties Bill that has languished in the PLD-majority Congress for years. He is now backing the bill, after conflicts between party members have led to dozens of injuries and two deaths.
As reported in Diario Libre, senator Rafael Vargas of the PLD, Rafael Calderon, formerly of the PRD and now of the PLD, and Adriano Sanchez Roa of the PRSC believe there is time to pass it, but not to apply it for the 15 May 2016 general election.
Central Electoral Board (JCE) member judge Eddy Olivares backs the proposal in the bill that establishes that all political parties need to hold their primaries on the same day. This is to prevent the same people from voting in different primaries.
As reported in Diario Libre, the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (Finjus) and several senators believe that to approve it before May 2016 a great national agreement is needed involving the political parties, the competent government entities and social sectors. Finjus said that the text that is finally approved in the Congress must be legitimate, harmonized, juridically correct and with the explicit commitment of the political parties.
“Events in recent years have proven that the political parties are not prepared to successfully hold their conventions. A third impartial party is needed that logically should be the electoral body,” stated Olivares.