Forming the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER), has been one of the most debated issues over the last few months between the ruling party, the General People Congress (GPC) and the opposition parties represented by Joint Meeting Parties (JMP).

Until now, the opposition and the ruling party have not reached an agreeable principle as for the formation of elections committee as well as the recent constitutional amendments announced by President Saleh which set the grounds of having a different ruling system and adopting a bicameral scheme as well as direct electing of governors and local council members by the people.

Despite the wide addressing of the issue by media outlets, the elite of society, let alone illiterate ones, do not know the essence of problems between the GPC and JMP according to a study, and very few know what it means to have a certain type of ruling system according to a recent study released by the Yemen Polling Center (YPC).

The study surveyed a number of academics, politicians, journalists, businessmen, civil society employees, and human rights activists and university students and it was conducted in six Yemeni governorates. Half of the survey respondents are from the capital Sana'a because it is the country's center.

About 82 percent of respondents pointed out that they follow what is going on in the Yemeni field and showed interest in issues relating to elections, referendum, legislations of presidential and parliamentary systems, etc. In return, 10 percent showed relative interest in the subject and another 2 percent showed no interest at all. 

Information source

The participants, when asked about the two means by which they receive information on the constitutional amendments, and the debates over the formation of the elections commission, 23 percent replied that they receive most of their information from opposition papers, followed by independent papers with about 18 percent, Yemeni state-owned satellite channel with nearly 15 percent and 13 percent of the elite claim that they recieve infomration of constitutional amendments from chatting with friends and in Qat sessions. 

This depends mostly on the volume of space allocated in each media outlet for addressing the issue and most respondents mix up between opposition and independent papers.

When dealing with the issue of the legislations relating to the formation of the elections commission, over 72 percent indicated that they participate in any chatting on the subject, while 23 percent listen to what is going on without any comment. Another 4 percent stressed that they have no interest in such subjects and they seek another subject once people around them start discussing elections issues.

Forming elections commission

There has been no agreement among respondents as for the formation of the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) and the highest percentage was given to the formation of the commission from parties represented in the parliament with 29 percent. In return, 20 percent see the commission should be formed through judges.

As for the commission's term, 41 percent believe that the term for SCER members should be that of parliament members while about 39 percent fix it at four years.

SCER should oversee the content of publicity programs whether in press, TV, Radio or brochures according to 49 percent of respondents who further believe that the legal responsibility on the content of publicity should be shouldered by parties. Over 50 percent oppose this proposal.

Among the authorities to be enjoyed by the SCER come registering Yemeni expatriates abroad and granting them election cards, prohibiting foreign finance for parties or candidates in electoral campaigns, deciding a limit for expenses on campaigns after consulting the parties, allowing opposition, independent and official media to attend the SCER meetings, publishing all resolutions and meeting minutes as well as other information on the SCER website, reconsidering the division of constituencies after conducting any new census and having copies of votes-counting fixed on the electoral centers.

On average, 86 percent agreed to the above-mentioned authorities while about 13 percent disagreed with them.

Forming electoral committees and sub-committees

Forming the electoral committees and sub-committees, involved with registering voters, supervising elections and vote counting processes, are among the controversial issues as unbiased attitudes are required on the part of these committees; however, reaching agreeable method was not reached. Political affiliation was a key factor in selecting a certain mechanism.

Women representation in electoral

committees

Woman respondents stress that women should have a 50-percent representation in electoral committees overseeing the whole electoral processes including registration, elections, referendum and vote-counting. In return, most men see that women should be allowed just 30 percent.

In total, 71 percent of respondents agree to the idea of allocating a certain percentage for women in electoral committees and sub-committees and about 29 percent oppose the idea.

Though majority of respondents are in agreement as for women having e a certain percentage, their political affiliation was of major importance for voicing their attitudes. The Popular Union Forces Party and Socialist Party came in the first place as for supporting women's representation, while the least-supportive party was Islah.

Neutralization of public money, job and state institutions

Majority of respondents emphasize that the Central Bank of Yemen should be controlled by an impartial and national committee agreed on by the parties taking part in elections to make sure that the public money is not used in favor of a certain party. About 88 percent agree to this measure and it is opposed by 12 percent.

Similarly, about 60 percent support protecting the public money and public job as well as exploiting its institutions in publicity campaigns. Further, 63 percent hold that there should be a law that prohibits inaugurating development or infra-structure projects during the publicity time.

About 90 percent of respondents stress that candidates and parties should disclose the source of financing for their electoral campaigns and this is opposed by 10 percent.

Likewise, over 86 percent assert that parties should submit bills as for the costs of their electoral and publicity campaigns. Over half of respondents see no importance for prolonging the publicity period and 46 percent see that the party or individual candidate to take legal measures against contesters.

Electoral system

Over 61 percent of respondents do not understand the difference between the relative and individual lists against 38 percent who reveal that they know the difference without going into details, mostly politicians and journalists.

Still, 60 percent out of those respondents who know the difference between both systems see that the relative list system is apt for Yemen, while 25 percent favored the individual list and 14.5 percent preferred to have both systems.

Quota system