Global Integrity Report

The Global Integrity Report (report.globalintegrity.org)

West Bank Home

Facts

Timeline

Notebook

Integrity Scorecard

2008 Assessment

West Bank: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

West Bank : Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Voting & Citizen Participation
Indicators		Score
14	Is there a legal framework guaranteeing the right to vote?	100
15	Can all citizens exercise their right to vote?	100
16	Are citizens able to participate equally in the political process?	80

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Is there a legal framework guaranteeing the right to vote?

14a: In law, universal and equal adult suffrage is guaranteed to all citizens.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law No. 9 of 2005, section 2, chapter 1, article 8, [ LINK ]

aw No. 9 of 2005, section 2, chapter 1, article 9, [ LINK ]

14b: In law, there is a legal framework requiring that elections be held at regular intervals.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Amendment to the Amended Basic Law of 2003, article 36, [ LINK ]

Amendment to the Amended Basic Law of 2003, article 47, [ LINK ]

Law No. 9 of 2005, section 1, chapter 1, article 2, [ LINK ]

Can all citizens exercise their right to vote?

15a: In practice, all adult citizens can vote.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Special reports (36), Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), Jan. 2005, Report on Presidential Elections Held on Jan. 9, 2005, page 7.

Special reports (42), ICHR, Oct. 2005, Report on the Palestinian Elections 2005, page 22.

Professional study, AMAN, Jan. 2005, Report on Presidential Elections held on Jan.9, 2005.

15b: In practice, ballots are secret or equivalently protected.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Special reports (38), Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), supervised by Lawyer Ma'n Du'es, June 2005, Report on the Performance of Higher Commission for Local Elections Second Phase of Local Councils Elections Held on May 5, 2005, page 10.

Government study, Central Elections Commission-Palestine, January 2006, Report on Second Legislative Elections, page 58.

15c: In practice, elections are held according to a regular schedule.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Special reports (44), Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), February 2006, Report on the Second Palestine Legislative Council (PLC) Elections Held on January 25, 2006.

Taleb Awad, researcher, The Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy-Muwatin, Sept. 17, 2008 MoP.

Peer Review Comments: Between the first presidential election and the second, there were nine years, while there were 10 years between the first and second legislative elections.

According to Basic Law, article 36, the next presidential election should take place on Jan. 9, 2009, but the president didn't ask the Central Election Committee to prepare for the next election. According to Election Law, the president should have done that on Oct. 8, 2008.

Are citizens able to participate equally in the political process?

16a: In law, all citizens have a right to form political parties.

Score:

YES

Comments: It should be noted that a law regarding political parties was never promulgated.

References: Amended Basic Law of 2003, section 2, article 26, [ LINK ]

16b: In law, all citizens have a right to run for political office.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law No. 9 of 2005, section 2, chapter 2, article 12, [ LINK ]

Law No. 9 of 2005, section 2, chapter 2, article 15, [ LINK ]

16c: In practice, all citizens are able to form political parties.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: While there is no guarantee of electoral success, political parties can form freely without opposition. <p>50 Score Criteria: Some barriers to formation are present, such as burdensome registration requirements that may not be fairly applied. Some parties\' political viewpoints may draw pressure from the government, such as surveillance or intimidation. Some political parties or organizations may have extra barriers to getting on a ballot. <p>0 Score Criteria: Some political parties are effectively barred from forming through some manner of official or unofficial pressure. This may include threats, arrest, or violence from competing parties or other groups.$

Comments: While parties cannot be registered due to the lack of a relevant law, the Central Elections Committee does register parties and lists them only during the period that is designated to register for running in the elections.

References: Professional study, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), February 2008, Democracy Index in Palestine, [ LINK ]

Mousa Abu-Dheim, Director of West Bank Program, Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), Sept. 23, 2008, his office at ICHR.

16d: In practice, all citizens can run for political office.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: International organization study, National Democratic Institute, 2006, Final Report on the Palestinian Legislative Council Elections Jan. 25, 2006.

Mousa Abu-Dheim, Director of West Bank Program,Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), Sept. 23, 2008, his office at ICHR.

Peer Review Comments: The cost of an election campaign is above the capabilities of independents.

16e: In practice, an opposition party is represented in the legislature.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The opposition party always has some influence on the proceedings of the legislature. The opposition party can introduce legislation or bring pending matters to a vote without the consent of the ruling party. <p>50 Score Criteria: The opposition party has influence on the proceeding of the legislature, but it is limited in scope. The opposition\'s ability to force votes or publicly debate certain topics may be limited. <p>0 Score Criteria: The opposition party has only token participation in the legislature\'s proceedings and cannot advance legislation or force a debate.$

Comments: It should be noted that the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC) has not been functioning during the period that this report covers.

References: Results of the General Elections of January 2006.

Professional report, Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), May 2008, "ICHR Annual Report 2007- the Status of Human Rights in Palestine," [ LINK ]

Professional study,The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy (MIFTAH), Jihad Harb, February 2008, "The Second PLC- Evaluation of Performance for the First Elections," [ LINK ]