Sudanese political forces agree to hold general elections in 2009

June 27, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese political parties agreed today to not delay the general elections that are expected to be held next year in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Presidential, and parliamentary elections on national and state levels will be held in Sudan before July 2009 after the end of a transitional period which began in July 2005 when the late former rebel leader John Garang had been appointed as First Vice President and the Interim Constitution adopted.

In a meeting held at the premises of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum, the Sudanese political – ruling and opposition — parties agreed on Thursday on the need to hold the general elections in the whole country at the determined time next year.

The Sudanese political forces also agreed on the need to pass the election law by mutual agreement between all the parties without imposing it by the mechanical majority of vote.

The National Assembly today extended its sitting by two weeks in order to endorse the elections law by consensus.

A draft election law presented by the NCP proposes to elect 60% of members of the parliaments by the majority election system and 40% by the proportional representation of which 25 percent must be women.

While the SPLM position, which is backed by the opposition forces, is to elect 50% of the MPs through the geographical constituencies and 50% of lawmakers to be elected by proportional representation, women are to be represented by 50% of the proportional representation lists.

The simple-majority single-ballot system favors the big parties and will allow the NCP to have a good number of seats in the national and state parliaments while the representation system is known for being in favour of the small political parties.

The meeting urged to take into account all outstanding issues related to the general elections particularly the resolution of Darfur crisis and to address the effects o f the effects of war.

The holding of the general elections without the resolution of Darfur crisis seems for many in the interest of the NCP and the SPLM. The exclusion of the rebel movements would increase the chances the northern Sudan ruling party to have more MPs elected in Darfur. While for the SPLM any delay in the calendar of the CPA implementation could compromise the rest.

(ST)