Women’s organizations presented this Tuesday, May 30, 2023, a administrative complaint to the National Electoral Council (CNE) to apply in the extraordinary elections in August the obligation to present joint lists in the candidacies for president and vice president.
Women claim a political participation with equity after the CNE interpreted that the obligation for the lists for president and vice president to be equal comes into force for the ordinary elections of 2025 and not for these extraordinary elections of 2023.
“We’re not asking for any favors.we are demanding that the law be complied with,” said Rosario Utreras, from the Political Coordinator of Ecuadorian Women.
Utreras recalled the struggle of women to achieve equity and rights, “which these women authorities now enjoy and use,” she said before submitting the claim to the CNE, chaired by Diana Atamaint.
An “irresponsibility”?
According to the third transitory provision of the Ecuadorian Democracy Code, approved in 2020, “parity in the presidential binomials will be fulfilled as of the subsequent elections to the general elections after the entry into force of the law.”
However, Atamaint has indicated that, as it is an extraordinary election to complete the 2021-2025 presidential term, it does not entail the obligation established by the legislation and that in the lists to Parliament, the gender quota will be 30%.
Karina Ponce, representative of Megamujeres, pointed out that “to say that they are just learning the law and recognizing other mechanisms that could happen at any time is irresponsible.”
For Ponce, the CNE’s decision is “an attack” on the political rights of women since the quotas allow, in some way, to level the “historical inequality” that affects women.
international instances
Ana Gómez, from Megamujeres, advanced that international organizations could intervene if the CNE and the Electoral Dispute Tribunal (TCE) do not give the necessary response “by going against” the law, the principle of progressiveness and non-regressiveness of rights.
He commented that they hope that this Tuesday the Electoral Dispute will admit the three appeals they presented, and pointed out that “they have the power to resolve, even without calling a court hearing.”
He stressed that the procedure is clearly written and must be resolved before the registration of the candidates, which ends on June 10.
If they do not have an answer this Tuesday, they will present an action of unconstitutionality with precautionary measures.
All-male candidacy
However, while women seek to respect gender parity, the list of presidential candidates advances, including that of security expert Jan Topic, who has chosen Pedro José Freire as his vice-presidential candidate.
Ecuador will hold special elections on August 20 after the decision of the current president, the conservative Guillermo Lasso, to apply the so-called “cross death” in the midst of a political trial of censorship where his dismissal seemed close.
This constitutional figure allowed Lasso to dissolve the National Assembly, controlled by a left-wing opposition majority, and call extraordinary general elections to complete the 2021-2025 period. EFE