Political party representatives and other sectors considered it unfair to reject a list for not meeting parity requirements, arguing that the correct approach is to promote, not compel, women's participation in politics. Alma Cortés, a representative of the 'Realizando Metas' party, stated they sought female candidates with excellent profiles, but their candidacies were rejected for various reasons, including a reluctance to face political and personal attacks. Miriam Castillo, of the Political Party Women's Forum, emphasized that parity is mandated by law and must be upheld. Electoral Tribunal magistrate Luis Guerra Morales suggested rejecting the office rather than the list, but the idea garnered no support. The Electoral Tribunal yesterday presented its third proposal to eliminate the 'escape valve' provision, which allows parties to fill quotas with candidates of any gender if female participation falls short. This mechanism, denounced by women's groups as a tool to circumvent parity, was again defended by the majority of the National Electoral Reform Commission.
Panamanian Political Parties Challenge Parity 'Escape Valve' Repeal
Panamanian political parties oppose the repeal of a mechanism allowing them to bypass gender parity requirements if female candidates are unavailable, advocating for promotion over coercion.
