Building Consensus on Basic Principles or Minimum Standards for Political Party Legislation in the Arab Countries. Third Working Group Meeting on Parliament and the Reform of Political Party Legislation

Casablanca, Morocco, 22/02/2008 - 24/02/2008.

Organizer(s): Organized in partnership with the Center for Studies and Research in Social Sciences (CERSS), Mohammed V University, Rabat.

This workshop, which marked the closing of the Knowledge and Consensus Building Phase of this working group, served as a platform to discuss the key principles or minimum standards that have been identified for political party laws in the Arab countries. Furthermore, two studies that were commissioned by UNDP on political party finance and internal governance of parties were presented and discussed. The meeting brought together experts and parliamentarians representing the various political groups/parties from seven Arab countries namely Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Yemen. The participants examined and debated the minimum standards relating to the conditions for the establishment of political parties and party membership; the party’s charter, internal regulations, and bylaws; financial resources and party finance; institutions in charge of the administration of party interests; participation of women and youth; and other related legislation. Finally after thorough discussion, the participants reached a consensus on these minimum standards, and endorsed them. The meeting provided an opportunity to launch the Arab Political Parties Database that has been prepared by UNDP, and contains information on over 100 political parties in several Arab countries. Information provided ranges from name of founder, date of establishment, party principles and political agenda, media outlets, internal regulations, date of last internal elections, as well as participation in parliamentary elections, electoral alliances, representation in parliament and government.