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In light of the increasing uncertainty surrounding the upcoming parliamentary elections, and amid conflicting information between citizens and candidates, Representative Nima Frem held a press conference at the headquarters of the “Homeland Project.” The conference was devoted to asking a series of questions directed to the government, related to the legal and executive framework of the electoral process, especially with regard to expatriate voting, legal deadlines, the magnetic card, and mega centers (“mega centers”), in addition to how to implement Article 58 of the Constitution.
In this context, “Ephrem presented a number of points that he said he would present to the government in the form of an official question,” and explained that “the goal is to clarify the picture before public opinion regarding the course of the upcoming elections.”
He relied on the current Election Law No. 44/2017, and stopped at the advisory opinion issued by the Legislation and Consultation Authority, which confirmed that the right to vote is a constitutional right, and that the failure to approve the six seats allocated to expatriates does not constitute a legal obstacle preventing them from voting for the 128 parliamentary seats.
In this context, he inquired about the government’s position on this opinion, and whether it will adopt it or not.
He also drew attention to “the legal deadlines stipulated in the law,” considering that “any amendment to the voting mechanism, especially with regard to non-resident voting, raises a problem related to the registration deadline that took place on the basis of the text in force at the time.”
He pointed out that “the change in the legal basis may necessitate a reconsideration of the registration mechanism, wondering about the government’s position in this regard.”
He also addressed Article 123 of the Election Law, which stipulates the establishment of a joint committee between the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to implement the provisions for expatriate ballots, and asked whether this committee had been formed, and if it had been formed, what were the results of its work, or what were the reasons for not establishing it yet.
In a related context, he raised the issue of the magnetic electronic card stipulated in Article 84 of the law, and asked whether the government had issued the necessary decree to approve it, and why this had not been done yet. He also stressed the importance of the “Mega Center,” considering it an influential element in the electoral process and not just an administrative detail.
He also touched on the mechanism for holding elections in the southern border areas, and inquired about the measures that the government intends to take to ensure that the electoral process runs well there, and the extent to which the relevant articles of the law can be applied.
Finally, he referred to Article 58 of the Constitution, which allows the government to issue an effective decree if the House of Representatives does not decide on an urgent draft law within the specified period, and asked why this mechanism was not resorted to after the expiration of the constitutional deadline.
