The ruling party in the National Assembly held this Thursday a reform to the Electoral Law that contemplates some adjustments, such as the reduction of the presidential campaign from 75 to 30 days and the municipal campaign from 42 to 20 days.
The changes were approved with 78 votes in favor of the ruling party and 10 abstentions from supporters allied to the ruling party who are in Parliament.
The reform takes place just six months before the municipal elections where the more than 150 mayors and deputy mayors of the 153 municipalities of Nicaragua will be elected.
According to the Nicaraguan organization Open Ballot Boxes, which audited the general elections of November 2021, where President Daniel Ortega won a new term after imprisoning all opposition candidates, the reforms propose greater control over the electoral process, and contradict the recommendations made by civil society organizations.
“None of the proposed reforms suggest substantive reforms that seek to improve transparency, or the general integrity of the electoral system (…) nor are they reforms that allow independent electoral observation,” Urnas Abiertas said in a statement.
The organization added that, as in 2021, Ortega once again reduced the electoral campaign period, although this time he does not provide a justification as to why, nor does he provide transparent information in this regard.
According to Urnas Abiertas, the experience of the previous year was marked by the denunciation of political parties “self-proclaimed rivals of the FSLN”, who complained of police siege and the denial of permission for rallies, caravans, and party gatherings requested within the established framework.
“The reduction of the electoral campaign, in a process under normal conditions, could restrict citizens from knowing the government plan, the profiles of the candidates, the political, social and economic programs proposed by the future local authorities and the search for the popular vote,” the agency said.
Currently the ruling party controls at least 135 mayoralties, of the 153 total that exist throughout the country.
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