The Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Contesting Candidates should include a requirement for election contenders not to use public resources for campaign purposes. Clear instructions should be issued and enforced to ensure that state officials do not interfere in the election process and that state assets are not used to the advantage of any party or candidate. Any impropriety should be immediately responded to and should include a penalty for those responsible.

Agents for contesting candidates should be trained to take a stronger oversight role. For example, agents should know how to file complaints, how to report election offences and should ensure that they receive a copy of the polling station’s results forms.

En période électorale, la CENI devrait organiser des sessions de rencontres/formation à thématique ciblée, permettant aux délégués des candidats d’acquérir une connaissance pratique des différents aspects du contentieux électoral.

Technical assistance should be provided to the IEC and the Demobilization and Reconciliation Commission (DRC) to ensure open and effective cooperation between both bodies and enforce the vetting requirements with impartial implementation of due process and objective criteria. The DRC should be supported by the international community both financially and politically. Any submission of information from the Office of the Attorney General to the DRC on current criminal activities of applications should be considered.

The IEC should play a larger role in the process of candidate vetting, within the limits of its powers. It should establish formal links with the Demobilization and Reconciliation Commission as soon as possible so that initial candidate applications submitted to the IEC can be cross referenced with updated data from the DRC’s remapping exercise as well as other relevant information from the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups Program. This would allow the IEC to exclude individuals with obvious links to illegal armed groups from its preliminary lists of candidates. The IEC should notify the applicants of their rejection and the reasons from their rejection, to allow them to lodge challenges before the ECC.

Essential - The information provided by political parties and movements to the Election Administration about their campaign expenditure should be made public.
Addressed to - NEC.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Parties and Candidates’ agents should receive training in key legal aspects of the election such as how to file complaints properly.
Addressed to - Political Subjects.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Introduction of an article with reference to the holding of political rallies and the provision of security.
Addressed to - CNE; Security Forces.
Possible Improvements Suggested - International standards recognise the right to peaceful assembly. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly other than those imposed in the law. Parties and Candidates should notify the relevant authorities of rally locations and times in order to ensure adequate and equal access to security if needed and to avoid clashes between parties or candidates.
Timeline - In time for the next elections.

Kaunda’s UNIP party must transform from a badly defeated party into a vigorous opposition

Use as many channels as possible in the nomination process; the Ministry of Civil Affairs should encourage efforts by nongovernmental groups to propose candidates

Encourage competition between at least two candidates for every position; discard confusing voting procedures allowing Village Chair candidates to be considered for Committee members

Consider making incumbent Village Committee (VC) members and the local party secretary ineligible for Village Election Committee (VEC) membership

Provisions in the law regarding public funding to candidates and political parties should be effectively implemented prior to the commencement of the campaign period. Small parties and a much needed new generation of politicians would have the chance to contest elections on a more levelled playing field. Public funding of parties and candidates is a fundamental tool to strengthen competitive democracy and allow a pluralistic participation.

Introduce efficient mechanisms regarding political party requirements verification. The law stipulates that parties are required, as part of their internal organization, to have the approval of their members, or of a representative assembly, of the party’s statutes and programs. Party’s presidents are elected by the membership and statutes are nondiscriminatory. Party identification, symbol and flag are unique and not phonetically or graphically similar to state entities or symbols. Contesting political parties inform the Supreme Court of Justice, 90 days prior to legislative elections, on their number of members. Dissolution of parties, due to lack of a minimum of 1,000 members, is mandatory by law although not verified. In order to avoid the proliferation of political parties, the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) should have a stronger mandate and means to verify the compliance of legal requirements by the political parties. A STJ-designated task force could be formed in cooperation with the School of Law to analyse party requirements within the given timeframe of 90 days prior to polls, leaving the final decision to the Supreme Court plenary.

Training of political party delegates in election law and monitoring. Training could be organized by civil society organizations in cooperation with the CNE, civil society groups and the School of Law. Training should cover issues such as universal principles for democratic elections, Human Rights, the Electoral Code of Ethics, voting and counting procedures, nature of complains and appeals and how to file claims.

The national capacity of political parties needs to be strengthened. Consideration should be given to provisions on state funding not only for the sustainability of political parties but also for campaign funding that guarantees a more level playing field and a reduction of dependency on contributions. Clear and transparent rules for the distribution and accountability of such funding should be established.

Desirable - The excessive presence of partisan activities in JRVs, which is a traditional feature of Salvadoran elections, does not contribute to a neutral voting environment. It would therefore be advisable that the use of campaign material, such as clothing or badges by political party agents be forbidden. Their TSE accreditation should be sufficient to identify them.
Addressed to - TSE.

Parties should adopt internal rules setting out how they will ensure the influence of their local party structures in nominating candidates, in compliance with the RPO.

Parties might complement their campaign methods with a more interactive mode of communication (e.g. question-answer sessions) in order to enhance accountability to voters and help the latter make an informed choice.

Political parties should make a real commitment to end coercive campaign practices including abstain from vote-buying and ensure that they comply fully with the Code of Conduct

Political parties should invest in developing their internal capacity and structures including knowledge-sharing to build a permanent presence across the country and in Cambodian political life at all levels.

Political party representatives at provincial and communal level and candidates’ agents should receive more profound training in key legal aspects of the election such as how to file complaints and their role in ensuring checks and balances in election periods

Desirable - Opposition political forces should design and conduct a strong fundraising strategy, in order to have the financial capacity to strengthen their structures, specifically at the local level, train and recruit new members and develop a timely and thorough campaign.
Addressed to - Gov. & NEC & Political Parties.
Possible Improvements Suggested:
- The CNE should provide guidance notes to all political contestants on how to present their candidacies and receive funding once accepted, so as to avoid the large number of disqualifications and lack of preparedness of many of the political contestants evidenced in this election.
- Political Parties should elicit training in political marketing possibly with assistance from homologous political parties in other countries or political marketing consultants
- Political parties should establish regular liaison with civil society organizations to listen to their concerns and local issues.
Timeline - To start within six months.

Desirable - More effective and timely training of party agents to increase their effectiveness.
Addressed to - Gov. & NEC & Political Parties.
Timeline - To start within six months.

The exclusion of those married to non-citizens from candidacy to the National Assembly is unreasonable and should be removed. Other disqualifications should be reviewed and should not be on a permanent basis.