Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
c . Regional distribution requirement e . Minimum number of candidates
Comments: Any legally registered political organization may compete in elections conducted in accordance with this Proclamation by nominating candidates who fulfill the criteria. The top leadership of a political organization shall notify the Board the list of candidates nominated by the political organization. A political organization shall nominate only one candidate for a single council seat in a constituency. Where the number of candidates nominated by political parties exceeds 12, priority shall be given to not more than six political parties that received the highest votes in the previous election. The remaining political organiz- ations shall be determined by lot.
Source: Electoral Law as amended by Proclamation No. 532/2007, art. 46 (1, 2, 3, 4), 49 http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-proclamatio-no.-532-2007-amending-the/view ;
The Registration of Candidates Directive No. 1/2009 http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-the-registration-of-candidates-directive/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship c . Country of birth d . Residence f . Registration j . Other
Comments: Any person shall be eligible for candidature, where he/she:
a) is an Ethiopian;
b) is versed in the working language of the Regional State or the area of his intended candidature;
c) is 21 years old or above on the date of the registration;
d) has been regularly residing in the constituency of his intended candidature for two years immediately preceding the date of the election or his birth place is within the constituency of his intended candidature or where the city or Woreda has more than one constituencies or he has been regularly working in the city or wereda for two years, in the wereda or city he choose.
e) is not deprived of his right to vote and to be elected;
f) has accepted and signed the election code of conduct to be issued by the
Board if it is a political organization or private candidate.
Source: Electoral Law as amended by Proclamation No. 532/2007, art. 45 http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-proclamatio-no.-532-2007-amending-the/view ;
The Registration of Candidates Directive No. 1/2009, art. 12 http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-the-registration-of-candidates-directive/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments: An independent candidate shall produce endorsement signatures of not less than 1,000 from among people who are certified by the local administration to be residents of the constituency of his candidature, are 18 years old or above and not barred by law from voting. The National Elections Board can reduce the number of endorsement signatures a private candidate must produce in certain constituencies if it deems it necessary.
Source: Electoral Law as amended by Proclamation No. 532/2007, art. 45 (3)
http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-proclamatio-no.-532-2007-amending-the/view ;
The Registration of Candidates Directive No. 1/2009, art. 12 (5, 6, 7) http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/ethiopia-the-registration-of-candidates-directive/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct c . Indirect
Comments: The government may grant support for political parties that have representation at the Federal and at State houses for conducting their day to day activity. The government may grant support to political parties to be effected for election purpose for federal or state houses. The support to be granted by the government may be in the form of money, in kind and in service. Furthermore, any political party shall not be liable to pay any kind of income tax on income collected from its members and supporters.
Based on the choice of the party, the financial support given to it in kind by the government may include the purchase or the printing, as the case may be, of posters, T-shirts, caps, billboard, banner, candidates’ symbols, candidates’ photographs, computers, printers, photocopy machines, facsimile machines or scanners, fliers, microphones, badges, stickers and flags. The financial support given to political parties by the government also comprises of availing the parties the free use of government meeting
halls, rendering mass media services according to the law and rendering of other similar services.
Source: Regulation 5/2009 Concerning the Procedure for Determining the Apportionment of Government Financial Support to Political Parties, art. 9, 11, 12, 13 http://electionethiopia.org/en/directives/151-regulation-concerning-the-procedure-for-determining-theaporsionment-of-government-financial-support-to-political-parties-regulation.html(2010) ;
Political Parties Registration Proclamation No 573/2008, art. 18, 42 http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/political-parties-registration-proclamation-no-573-1/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election d . Based on number of candidates put forward in present election e . Other
Comments: The support to be granted to political parties by the government shall be rendered equitably and without discrimination. Proclamation support granted to political parties during elections shall be apportioned according to the number of seats a party won in the Federal Council during the preceding election where the support relates to an election thereto or
the number of seats won by a party in the Regional Council during the preceding election where the support relates to an election thereto. Furthermore, the financial support granted by the government shall be apportioned according to the number of candidates nominated by the party
and the number of female candidates nominated by the party.
Source: Regulation 5/2009 Concerning the Procedure for Determining the Apportionment of Government Financial Support to Political Parties, art. 15;
Political Parties Registration Proclamation No 573/2008, art. 44 (1), 45: http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/political-parties-registration-proclamation-no-573-1/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: The income source of a political party may be:
a) membership fees collected from members;
b) donations or grants by Ethiopian nationals and companies in accordance with the limit to be set by the Board on basis of its study.
A political party may, upon the approval of the government or regional state administration, collect money from the proceeds of events organized on non permanent basis to enhance its financial position.
Source: Political Parties Registration Proclamation No 573/2008, art. 51, 52: http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/ET/political-parties-registration-proclamation-no-573-1/view
Verified: 2015/05/18
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