Ref: 19 /2021
Date: 25 Feb 2021
Press release,
ICSPR calls for the reconsideration of the requirement “to resign from office to accept candidacy in the elections”
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) followed with great disapproval and concern the declaration issued by the Palestinian Central Elections Commission regarding the categories whose resignation should be submitted for the purpose of running for membership in the Legislative Council – the 2021 legislative elections, where this declaration imposes on those who intend to run in the elections to resign and that his resignation be accepted.
ICSPR believes that the stipulation of such a condition entails the violation of constitutional rules on which the various systems of government have settled, which stipulated that the resignation be submitted only from the occupants of high positions in the state. ICSPR fears that the decision will deprive more than two hundred thousand persons qualified for candidacy, and warns of the consequences of this condition, including causing obstruction to the electoral process, especially since this condition was contrary to what the parties agreed upon at the Cairo meeting, and evidence of President Abbas’s one-sidedness in ruling and his lack of consideration for the rest of the parties. Therefore:
- ICSPR fears that this condition may constitute a plot represented in the fact that acceptance of candidacy in the elections depends on the acceptance of the resignation by the administration, which may cause the administration to refrain from accepting the resignation or refuse to accept it or accept it after the expiration of the period of application to run for elections.
- ICSPR believes that what increases the danger of this condition on the integrity of the elections is the failure to issue a presidential decree to form the election court so that the qualified for candidacy and stakeholders can make objections and appeals according to what is stated in the election law on the existence of these arbitrary conditions.
- ICSPR affirms that the condition would cause hesitation for those who wanted to run for a set of reasons, including that accepting his resignation made him unemployed, and may not find a job that suits his skills.
- ICSPR calls to reconsider and amend the resignation requirement and its acceptance so that the resignation is dependent on the final result of the elections, provided that it is considered accepted in advance in case the candidate win, with the possibility of keeping the requirement to accept the resignation of those holding senior positions in the country and those with high ranks holding administrative positions in the security services.
