452. In some countries the law provides for intervention by the EMB in the
procedures for selecting party leaders and candidates for elective office. In
such cases the EMB cooperates with the political parties and movements as
they choose their candidates for their national leadership bodies when this
is done with the direct participation of their members, and in the choice of
candidates for elective positions (as in Colombia). In some systems, the EMB
has a representative on the intra-party organ in charge of organizing, directing
and supervising the internal election of party authorities and candidates to
elective office: in Honduras and the Dominican Republic, for example, it
is the EMB that issues the call for internal elections to party organs. Other
EMBs (as in Chile and Mexico) have powers to oversee the assemblies and
conventions that political parties hold to elect their party leadership or select
candidates for elective office and, at its own initiative or at the request of
the party, to verify that they are held in line with the law, the regulations
and parties’ internal statutes. Without such verification, the internal elections
would be null and void.
453. Special mention should be made of Uruguay. Under the 1998 reform, the
Electoral Court hears all matters related to electoral actions and procedures
connected with the political parties’ internal elections for both candidates
for the presidency and the members of political parties’ own national
decision-making bodies, which are held on the same day nationwide. It
organizes these elections, issues the rules and requirements for holding
them and judges all claims and appeals brought against electoral and party
actions. The decisions of the Electoral Court are not subject to appeal.
454. In general, EMBs have jurisdiction to register the nominations by each
political party of candidates for elective office. They check that the candidates
meet the eligibility requirements and were selected in line with the procedure
established by law and the party’s internal statutes.
455. In addition, in the event of a dispute over the procedures for the political
parties’ internal (or primary) elections for leaders or candidates, a challenge may
be submitted to the EDRB against the act of the electoral authority that led to
the dispute or against the act of the electoral authority which validates or gives
efficacy to the act of the party. A challenge may also test whether an action by
a party is in violation of the constitutional or statutory provisions or violates
the party’s own rules. The procedures for such a challenge often require that
all of the internal channels within the party for dispute resolution have been
exhausted before the challenge can be accepted for hearing by the EDRB.
Expulsion of members and other sanctions
456. It is often provided, in general terms, that every member of a political
party may, once internal remedies have been exhausted, bring a challenge
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