Almotamar.net - Report of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for international affairs described the presidential and local elections held in Yemen on 20 September 2006 as characterized by competitive democratic stamp and deemed a very important step on the road of democracy in Yemen.

The report pointed out that in local councils elections more than 20000 party and independent candidates contested for about 7200 seats in election centres, councils and governorates.

The NDI report mentioned the presidential and local elections in Yemen revealed that the country achieved important development in its democratic experiment, indicating there are challenges that mist be tackled for the protection of those developments and realization of political reform. It called to achieve that through effecting reforms to the election law and its executive procedures so that to strengthen bigger transparency in the election process. The report called on opposition parties to actively take part in that in constructive way with the Yemeni government and the Supreme Commission for Elections for securing implementation of those reforms as the choice of boycotting the election process does not offer any solutions.

It praised the good level of performance by the Supreme commission for elections in the technical and administrative performance and that the original and branch committees members have been trained, and preparation of balloting papers and distributing them in a new method compared to 2001 elections enabled them to manage the processes of voting and vote-counting efficiently.

The report concluded that despite it should be acknowledged that the SCER efficiently administered competitive elections there are still bug problems in its performance that must be treated so that its decision-making is more transparent. Moreover, the SCER should conduct preparation continuously and permanently not just seasonally.

The NDI report pointed out that one of the problems faced the local organisations that took part in the observation process was slowness in issuing licenses for local observers by the SCER and that resulted in those organisation inability to provide observers in remora areas with lice censes before the day of ballot.

The report said local observers faced some difficulties with regards entering headquarters of election committees to carry out their observation tasks during the ballot and vote-counting operations but, the report added, those were less than what they faced in previous elections, it pointed out that the SCER has quickly and effectively helped observers who were already prevented from carrying out their duties.

The report mentioned that despite of atmospheres of intense political tensions among the parties there was a noticeable drop in violence events during elections. Officially only three cases of killing were registered during the elections of September 2006 while there were 47 cases in elections of 2001 and 7 case3s in 2003 elections. It attributed that to the call of leaders of parties and the SCER to make the election day without weapons and the decision of doubling the number of ballot centres taken by the SCER.

The NDI and observation network recommended treatment of problems that appeared during the election campaign and on the day of balloting through the following steps:

For the creation of an atmosphere of trust serving decency and transparency of the upcoming parliamentary elections in 20009 by enhancement responsibilities and powers of the SCER, simplification of the measure if administering the elections, correcting failures in voter registration openly and transparently, consideration of taking distinguishing positive steps to ensure women gaining equal opportunities in candidacy for the upcoming elections., strengthening monitoring of official media especially the written one and putting rules and criteria to limit expenditures on election campaigns.

The report said Yemen is distinguished by political pluralism and political competition in the region and that was embodied in the elections of 2006, considering it a positive step in the political democratic development. It has also praised the high spirit of the Yemeni people for going forward on the road of developing their pioneering democratic experiment.

The NDI put blame on the JMP opposition parties for the severe tension with the SCER and the difference in weakness of trust and cooperation, considering the JMP did not pursue practical style scheduling their criticisms and demands according to specific periodicities characterized by criticism and dialogue in dealing with the SCER in the elections of 2003 and 2006.