Political
parties usually require registration with the body in charge of conducting
elections. Basic registration requirements may include providing information on
party identity, programme documents, evidence of popular support, geographic
coverage, financial viability and so on. Basic registration requirements for
political party candidates may include proof of eligibility to vote in a given
electoral district and additional information, such as financial statements.
Registration
requirements can, however, be used as an instrument for excluding groups or
individuals from electoral competition and participation in power sharing. Exclusion
from electoral processes through the denial of registration can provide incentives
to excluded groups to turn to violent means in pursuing their political
interests. In many situations, psychological and physical violence is used to
prevent candidates standing for elections.
Empirical cases:
- Turkey parliamentary election 2011. In December 2009 the
Constitutional Court decided to ban the Democratic Society Party (DTP), a
pro-Kurdish party.[1] The Court alleged that the
DTP were connected with the terrorist-affiliated Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK). The DTP’s supporters, mainly of Kurdish origin, perceived the banning of
the DTP as a further step in the Turkish government’s repression of the country’s
Kurdish minority. This led to demonstrations, mainly in the south-east, which
is predominately inhabited by Kurds. There were reports of stone-throwing
demonstrators clashing with riot police.[2]
Interrelated factors: social and political exclusion (external);[3]
presence of non-state armed actors (external);[4] gender-based
discrimination and violence (external);[5] human rights violations (external).[6]
- Russia parliamentary election 2011. The liberal Party of People’s
Freedom (PARNAS) was refused party registration prior to the 2011 parliamentary
elections. It was alleged that party members and supporters were intimidated with
a view to making them either resign from their posts or to taking their names
off the party list.[7]
Interrelated factors: human rights violations (external); presence of non-state armed actors (external);[8]
gender-based discrimination and violence (external).[9]
- Philippines legislative and presidential
election 2010.
The election campaign was marred by violence. On one day alone a group of 57
people, including relatives of local politicians, lawyers and journalists, were
abducted by armed men from a faction with alleged ties to the incumbent
President, and later found dead.[10]
Interrelated factors: presence of non-state armed actors
(external);[11] human rights violations (external).[12]
