79Th REGULAR SESSION OEA/Ser.Q 1 – 6 August 2011 CJI/Doc.383/11 Rev.1 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2 August 2011 Original: Spanish

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

79Th REGULAR SESSION OEA/Ser.Q 1 – 6 August 2011 CJI/Doc.383/11 Rev.1 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2 August 2011 Original: Spanish 79th REGULAR SESSION OEA/Ser.Q 1 – 6 August 2011 CJI/doc.383/11 rev.1 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2 August 2011 Original: Spanish REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN JURIDICAL COMMITTEE ON MECHANISMS OF DIRECT PARTICIPATION AND STRENGTHENING OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY I. Delimitation of the mandate granted to the rapporteur The General Assembly of the OAS, at the session held in Lima in 2010, adopted resolution AG/RES. 2611 (XL-O/10), in which it requested the Inter-American Juridical Committee to undertake “a legal study of the mechanisms of participatory democracy and citizen participation contained in the legislation of some countries in the region.”. In light of which, at its 77th regular session held in Río de Janeiro, Brazil, the Inter-American Juridical Committee decided to designate Dr. Fabián Novak as rapporteur for this theme and also ask the Office of the Committee to remit a communication to the Member States of the OAS for them to cooperate with the Committee by sending all the available information they have on the mechanisms of citizen participation incorporated in their respective juridical systems.1 Likewise, following a broad debate, the Committee agreed that it would be suitable for the paper written by the rapporteur to be of a legislative rather than doctrinaire or theoretical nature in order to show the current status of the mechanisms of direct participation that are incorporated in the various political systems of the region, based on which a set of conclusions and recommendations would be formulated. In this sense the following report to the members of the Committee is based on the analysis not only of the constitutional texts of all the member states of the OAS but also the legislative development made in some of them. 2. Representative democracy and mechanisms of direct participation in the countries that make up the OAS 2.1 Preliminary concepts The so-called representative democracy that is incorporated in all the constitutional systems of the countries that make up the OAS is usually defined as that in which the people elect the governors, to represent them and perform the function of government. In this respect, it has to be added that one of the chief functions of representation is the legitimization of public power. In effect, in representative democracy those who hold the public power are legitimate representatives of the nation. Accordingly, and in principle, all those who possess public power are representatives of the nation and people, and their power is legitimate as long as this is maintained functioning within the limits of this representation.2 As the years have gone by, the total number of countries that make up the OAS have progressively incorporated into their systems of representative democracy a serie of mechanisms of intermediation or direct participation that are peculiar to so-called semi-direct or participative democracy,3 which has unquestionably sought to enhance and strengthen this model of government.4 1 At the moment this report was concluded, the Office of the Committee had already received answers from the Permanent Missions of the Bahamas, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic. 2 GARCÍA-PELAYO. Manuel. Obras Completas. t. I, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Constitucionales, 1991. p. 374. 3 Today, professional opinion prefers to use the term semi-direct democracy to differentiate it from direct democracy, which is at present considered impracticable, given the current volume of the local populations and the impossibility of permanently consulting them. In this regard, see CONTRERAS, José. La Democracia Participativa en el Constitucionalismo Latinoamericano. In: USECHE, Luis 2 Some preambles or articles of the Political Constitutions of the region even expressly define the participative nature of the democracy in the State in question, thereby affirming its representative characteristics.5 There is certainly no intention of returning to the direct democracy of the Greeks,6 but to establish greater mechanisms of citizens’ participation and consultation to allow the State to act Enrique. La Participación Ciudadana en el Derecho Constitucional Latinoamericano. In: El Nuevo Derecho Constitucional Latinoamericano, v. I, Caracas: Fundación Konrad Adenauer/CIEDLA/COPRE, 1996. p. 251. As pointed out by MIRÓ QUESADA, Francisco. Democracia Directa: un análisis comparado en las constituciones latinoamericanas. In: El Nuevo Derecho Constitucional Latinoamericano, v. I, Caracas: Fundación Konrad Adenauer/CIEDLA/COPRE, 1996. p. 133: “Direct democracy implies a set of practices, institutions and policies by means of which individuals participate in the political power as directly as possible and with the minimum of intermediation. Direct democracy is more participation than intermediation. […] Accordingly, when we analyze political systems we find none where there is pure direct democracy, in general the institutions of direct democracy appear combined or else mixed with those of representative democracy. That is why we speak of semi-direct democracy”. The same theme is addressed in GARCÍA CHOURIO, José Guillermo. Instituciones de Democracia Directa y Participación Ciudadana. Lima: Cuadernos para el Diálogo del Jurado Nacional de Elecciones, 2008, p. 35-36: “Strictly speaking this is simply a redefinition that uses the prefix “semi” to relativize and set a distance between what in ancient times was an exercise of face-to-face politics and what today has a real possibility of being practiced in the light of the modern institutions of democracy”. Finally, Weber preferred to speak of rationalized direct democracy to distinguish from Athenian democracy the direct-consultation procedures included in representative democracy. WEBER, Max. Economía y Sociedad. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1984. p. 234. 4 This affirmation does not deny the problems that may arise from misuse of these mechanisms on the part of the government in place, mechanisms that have been widely developed by Latin American professional opinion based on certain experiences over the last few years. So, institutions such as the referendum and the plebiscite, among others, can be used to grant more power to the Executive Power in detriment of the Legislative in order to approve populist laws, weaken Congress and the political parties, intervene in the media or control social organizations. Contributing to this is the tendency of many voters in the region to see the figure of the President as the exclusive depositary of democratic legitimacy, to whom they delegate the right and obligation to resolve the country’s problems according to his/her best judgment and understanding. This model is called delegative democracy, that is, a system in which the Head of State uses the mechanisms of direct participation in order to affirm personal rather than institutional projects and consolidate self-affirming and self-legitimizing proposals rather than real demands of the citizens. Another danger is if the mechanisms of direct participation consecrated in the constitutional texts are coupled with other provisions that weaken democratic institutionality; in this case too, the mechanisms of direct participation will by no means strengthen representative democracy. See LISSIDINI, Alicia. Democracia Directa Latinoamericana: Riesgos y Oportunidades. In: Democracia Directa en Latinoamérica. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros, 2008. p. 14-15; KAUFMANN, Bruno. Prólogo. In: Democracia Directa en Latinoamérica. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros, 2008. p. 10. 5 An example is the Constitution of Costa Rica, which expressly points out in article 9 that “The Government of the Republic is […] representative, participative, […]”; the Constitution of Honduras points out in article 5 that the Government must respect the principle of participative democracy, and article 2 states that the sovereignty of the people can also be exercised directly through plebiscite and referendum; article 1 of the Constitution of Paraguay reaffirms the principles of representative, participative and pluralist democracy, while articles 2 and 7 of the Constitution of Nicaragua define that republic as being democratic, participative and representative, and the Constitution of Venezuela defines Society and Government as being democratic and participative (see the Preamble and Articles 5 and 6). The Colombian Constitution defines the State as a democratic and participative republic (Article 1) which facilitates the participation of all in the decisions that affect them (Article 2), where the people exercise their sovereignty directly or through their representatives (Article 3) and within a democratic and participative legal framework (Preamble). The Constitution of Bolivia establishes that the people exercise their sovereignty in a direct and delegated fashion (Article 7) and that the government is characterized as being democratic, participative and representative (Article 11). 6 This due to the practical impossibility of applying this system in countries with large populations, where direct permanent consultation of each act of the government would prove impossible. Furthermore, Athenian direct democracy involved very few people, who belonged to the dominant classes; women were excluded, and the Eklesia (Assembly) only met about 40 times a year. See USECHE, Luis Enrique. 3 more efficiently in an atmosphere of orderly, democratic and institutionalized channeling of citizens’ demands. Furthermore, a representative democratic system does not imply a divorce
Recommended publications
  • The 1996 Institutional Crisis in Paraguay
    Democratic Forum The 1996 Institutional Crisis in Paraguay September 1996 Washington, D.C. Secretary General César Gaviria Assistant Secretary General Christopher R. Thomas Executive Coordinator, Unit for the Promotion of Democracy Elizabeth M. Spehar This publication is part of a series of publications of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS). Opinions and statements expressed are not necessarily those of the OAS or its member states, and are entirely the responsibility of the parties expressing them. Democratic Forum The institutional crisis of April 22 to 24, 1996, in Paraguay, from the perspective of the Government, civil society, and the international community Unit for the Promotion of Democracy This report is an edited version of the original transcripts, produced under the technical supervision of Mr. Diego Paz, Senior Specialist of the UPD, and Coordinator of this Forum. Professor Riordan Roett contributed with the summary and comments included in this issue. Design and composition of this publication was done by the Information and Dialogue Section headed by Mr. John Murray of the UPD. Mrs. Betty Robinson and Mrs. Judith Horvath- Rouco helped with the final editing of this report, and JNA Design was responsible for the graphic design. Copyright @ 1997. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material is authorized; please credit it as Aa publication of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States@. Table of contents Preface..........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Report of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Honduras
    Preliminary Report of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Honduras The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (EOM/OAS) in Honduras, headed by former President of Bolivia Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, deployed a team of 82 experts and observers from 25 countries to cover the general elections held on November 26. The Mission began by dispatching an advance technical team to the country on October 30 to observe the preparation of the electoral cases (maletas electorales, containing election materials), the training being given to members of the polling stations, and the delivery of their credentials, along with other aspects relating to the transmission and dissemination of results, including demonstrations and the test run drill on November 12. On November 6 that team was joined by the mobile group observers, who traveled to the different departments in the country to observe in situ the progress being made with preparations for the elections and to meet the actors involved in the electoral process. The Mission completed its deployment with the arrival of the experts, regional coordinators, and international observers, together with the Head of Mission and the Special Advisor to the EOM, former President of Guatemala Álvaro Colom. During its stay in Honduras, the Mission met with government and electoral authorities, political parties and coalitions, the Supreme Court of Justice, representatives of civil society, the electricity company (Empresa de Energía de Honduras), and the diplomatic community, as well as other actors. The experts conducted a substantive analysis of the electoral process in terms of its organization, the technology used, campaign financing, gender perspective, electoral justice, and facilities for voting abroad.
    [Show full text]
  • Panama Canal Authority
    Translation of a report originally issued in Spanish Panama Canal Authority Special Purpose Audit Report on the Costs of Investments in Progress and Operating Expenses in the Panama Canal Expansion Program September 30, 2007 Deloitte - Panama Panama Canal Authority Special Purpose Audit Report September 30, 2007 Contents Pages Special Purpose Audit Report on Costs of Investments in Progress and Operating Expenses in the Panama Canal Expansion Program 1 Statement of Costs of Investments in Progress 2 Statement of Operating Expenses 3 Notes to the Special Purpose Audit Report 4-9 Panama Canal Authority Statement of Costs of Investments in Progress Canal Expansion Program At September 30, 2007 (In thousands of balboas) Program Management B/. 5,420 Costruction of the New Locks 3,638 Pacific Access Channel 1,708 Navigational Channel Improvements 2,110 Water Supply Improvements - B/. 12,876 The accompanying notes are an integral part of this special purpose audit report. 2 Panama Canal Authority Statement of Operating Expenses Canal Expansion Program Year ended September 30, 2007 (In thousands of balboas) Contracted services and fees B/. 109 Materials and supplies 119 Transportation and allowances 9 Internal support 507 Other expenses 77 B/. 821 The accompanying notes are an integral part of this special purpose audit report. 3 Panama Canal Authority Notes to the Special Purpose Audit Report Year ended September 30, 2007 (In thousands of balboas) 1. General Information The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) is an autonomous agency of the Government of Panama, established in conformity with Article 316 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama. PCA is responsible for the administration, operation, conservation, maintenance, modernization, and other related activities of the Panama Canal (the Canal), that are necessary to ensure the safe, uninterrupted, efficient and profitable operation of the Canal in accordance with the constitutional and legal regulations in effect.
    [Show full text]
  • Letter from the Government of Honduras on Actions Taken
    Appendix 13 – Letter from the Government of Honduras on actions taken OFFICIAL LETTER No.1077-DGPE/DSM-10 Tegucigalpa, June 4, 2010 Excellency, It is my honor to present my compliments and to say that the purpose of this letter in follow- up to the two notes sent to the international community in April 2010 is to express our desire for genuine understanding of the situation in our country and that the international community be suitably and correctly informed of the efforts of the Government of Honduras to implement a real process of national unity and reconciliation. I should begin by drawing attention to the fact that our president, Mr. Porfirio Lobo Sosa, has set about the task of leading the country with the strength afforded him by the legitimacy of a transparent election extensively observed by the international community, in which the majority of the people of Honduras clearly, lawfully, and unmistakably expressed their will in the search for peace, stability, and restored unity. This electoral process, called by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal under the administration of former President Zelaya Rosales, was preceded by the primary elections in which all legally registered political parties chose their candidates to the National Congress, Municipalities, and the Presidency of the Republic, a process monitored by international observers—including those from the Organization of American States (OAS)—who noted the transparency and success thereof. I am at pains to draw your attention to the fact that Article 51 of the Constitution of Honduras defines the Supreme Electoral Tribunal as an autonomous and independent entity responsible for the convocation, organization, direction, and supervision of electoral processes.
    [Show full text]
  • 1413976* A/Hrc/Emrip/2014/4
    United Nations A/HRC/EMRIP/2014/4 General Assembly Distr.: General 28 April 2014 Original: English Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Seventh session 7-11 July 2014 Item 7 of the provisional agenda United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Final summary of responses to the questionnaire seeking the views of States and indigenous peoples on best practices regarding possible appropriate measures and implementation strategies to attain the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Report of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Summary The present report contains a summary of responses from States and indigenous peoples to the questionnaires seeking their views on best practices regarding possible appropriate measures and implementation strategies to attain the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as requested by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 24/10. GE.14-13976 *1413976* A/HRC/EMRIP/2014/4 Contents Paragraphs Page I. Introduction............................................................................................................. 1–6 3 II. State responses........................................................................................................ 7-106 4 A. National implementation strategies ................................................................ 8-15 4 B. Legal, policy or other measures adopted especially to implement the rights in the Declaration ................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Constitutional Reform in the English-Speaking Caribbean: Challenges and Prospects
    Constitutional Reform in the English-Speaking Caribbean: Challenges and Prospects A report prepared for the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum January 2011 The Constitutional Design Group Principals Zachary Elkins | [email protected] Tom Ginsburg | [email protected] Lead Research Associate Justin Blount | [email protected] The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect those of CPPF or the Social Science Research Council. Constitutional Reform in the ESC p. 2 CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3 Historical Perspectives on Constitutional Reform in the ESC ................................................. 4 Decolonization and the Independece Constitutions ............................................................... 4 The Rise and Fall of the West Indies Federation ................................................................... 5 Characteristics of ESC Constitutions ......................................................................................... 6 Some General Notes on the Nature of ESC Constitutional Texts ......................................... 7 Executives, Legislatures, and the Judiciary ........................................................................... 8 Fidelity to the Westminster Parliamentary System ........................................................... 8 The Judiciary .....................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Doing Business Panama Español
    INDEX I. Panamá II. General III. Business Licenses IV. Direct Sales V. Agency Agreements, Distribution and Representation VI. Franchises VII. Industrial Property VIII. Commercial Companies Regime IX. Joint-Ventures X. Trust System XI. Regime of Private Interest Foundations XII. Banking Regime XIII. Financial Companies Regime XIV. Leasing Regime XV. Insurance Companies Regime XVI. Reinsurance Companies Regime XVII. Captive Insurance Regime XVIII. Supplementary Fund Managers and Pension Retirement INDEX XIX. Stock Market Regime XX. Maritime Sector XXI. Aircraft regime XXII. Telecommunication XXIII. Tourism XXIV. Colon Free Zone XXV. Free Zones XXVI. Panama Pacific Special Economic Area XXVII. Call Centers XXVIII. City of Knowledge XXIX. Barú Free Zone XXX. Oil Free Zones XXXI. Regional Headquarters XXXII. Cinematographic and Audiovisual Activities XXXIII. Antitrust Regulations XXXIV. Fiscal Regime XXXV. Immigration Regime XXXVI. Labor and Social Security Regime I. PANAMA The Republic of Panama, located in Central America which joins North and South America, has a surface of 77,082 square kilometers, and is politically divided into nine provinces and five Indigenous regions. Panama borders east with the Republic of Colombia and west by the Republic of Costa Rica; north lies the Caribbean Sea and south, the Pacific Ocean. The Panama Canal crosses the Republic, north to south, on the narrowest part of the Isthmus. With a population estimated at 3.3 million, the country is a clear example of the combination of races. The official language is Spanish, although an important sector of the population speaks English, mainly in the service sector of the economy. II. GENERAL A. CONSTITUTIONAL, LEGAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM In accordance with the Political Constitution of Panama, the Country is organized in a sovereign and independent State, with a republican system of government, unitary, democratic and representative.
    [Show full text]
  • World Heritage Patrimoine Mondial 41
    World Heritage 41 COM Patrimoine mondial Paris, June 2017 Original: English UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L'EDUCATION, LA SCIENCE ET LA CULTURE CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE CONVENTION CONCERNANT LA PROTECTION DU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL, CULTUREL ET NATUREL WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE / COMITE DU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL Forty-first session / Quarante-et-unième session Krakow, Poland / Cracovie, Pologne 2-12 July 2017 / 2-12 juillet 2017 Item 7 of the Provisional Agenda: State of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and/or on the List of World Heritage in Danger Point 7 de l’Ordre du jour provisoire: Etat de conservation de biens inscrits sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial et/ou sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial en péril MISSION REPORT / RAPPORT DE MISSION Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Peru) (274) Sanctuaire historique de Machu Picchu (Pérou) (274) 22 - 25 February 2017 WHC-ICOMOS-IUCN-ICCROM Reactive Monitoring Mission to “Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu” (Peru) MISSION REPORT 22-25 February 2017 June 2017 Acknowledgements The mission would like to acknowledge the Ministry of Culture of Peru and the authorities and professionals of each institution participating in the presentations, meetings, fieldwork visits and events held during the visit to the property. This mission would also like to express acknowledgement to the following government entities, agencies, departments, divisions and organizations: National authorities Mr. Salvador del Solar Labarthe, Minister of Culture Mr William Fernando León Morales, Vice-Minister of Strategic Development of Natural Resources and representative of the Ministry of Environment Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Guyana Constitution No Confidence Motion
    Guyana Constitution No Confidence Motion sighWestleigh very see. fabricates Solved traitorously. Ismail rope, Self-neglecting his inadequacies Reginald mythicized outcropped reacclimatize her gangrel conceitedly. so episodically that Haven Guyanese and the international community that the Dec. Constitution of confidence motion is very clear it would allow you that guyana constitution no confidence motion of the society. One voice and my children on shall have also post comments, say that stormed the next dissolution and shall be an obscure constitutional procedure for? Impeachment managers used the final day of their opening arguments to hammer home the case against Trump. Partly cloudy in those evening. GUYANA court rules no confidence motion valid News74. Marine Corps Times asked for the same motion of was call to file a Freedom of. Save as otherwise benefit by this Constitution, shall add the gesture to be passed. This, Justice Adrian Justice Saunders, Dr. Parliament upon their conscience even meet that were comprised in force of your questions and to constitute offices. Lucia and the St. GECOM and american will then well a proclamation. It is bottom line for guyana, determine whether he voted would not. In a statement today the CCJ says according to Guyana's Constitution the Cabinet should recover if defeated by net no confidence vote The CCJ. Assembly that constitutional and manage access to constitute a constitution and implementation of confidence in an officer, given that he could cause him of argument. PPP leaders believe rightly or wrongly that the United States has been willing to overlook corruption and undemocratic practices in the Granger government, the comment illustrates the unusual amount of public anger the Ohu case is garnering.
    [Show full text]
  • The European Suffrage Movement and Democracy in the European Community, 1948-1973
    Journal of Contemporary European Research Volume 10, Issue 1 (2014) A Salutary Shock: The European Suffrage Movement and Democracy in the European Community, 1948-1973 Eric O’Connor University of Wisconsin-Madison Citation O’Connor, E. (2014). ‘A Salutary Shock: The European Suffrage Movement and Democracy in the European Community, 1948-1973’, Journal of Contemporary European Research. 10 (1), pp. 57-73. First published at: www.jcer.net Volume 10, Issue 1 (2014) jcer.net Eric O’Connor Abstract This article examines the experience of democratic participation during the European Community’s most undemocratic era, 1948-1973. An important segment of European activists, a suffrage movement of sorts, considered European-wide elections as the most effective technique of communicating European unity and establishing the EC’s democratic credentials. Going beyond strictly information dissemination, direct elections would engage citizens in ways pamphlets, protests, and petitions could not. Other political elites, however, preferred popular democracy in the form of national referendums, if at all. This article examines the origins and implications of incorporating the two democratic procedures (national referendums and direct elections) into the EC by the end of the 1970s. It also identifies a perceived deficit in democracy as a spectre that has haunted European activists since the first post-war European institutions of the late 1940s, a spectre that has always been closely related to an information deficit. Based on archival research across Western
    [Show full text]
  • Uruguay's Constitution of 1966, Reinstated in 1985, with Amendments Through 2004
    PDF generated: 28 Mar 2017, 19:28 constituteproject.org Uruguay's Constitution of 1966, Reinstated in 1985, with Amendments through 2004 English Translation © 2012 by William S. Hein & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Amendments translated by Jefri J. Ruchti Prepared for distribution on constituteproject.org with content generously provided by Hein Online. This document has been recompiled and reformatted using texts collected in Hein Online’s World Constitution’s Illustrated. constituteproject.org PDF generated: 28 Mar 2017, 19:28 Table of contents SECTION I: The Nation and Its Sovereignty . 3 SECTION II: Rights, Duties and Guarantees . 4 SECTION III: Citizenship and Suffrage . 14 SECTION IV: The Form of Government and Its Various Powers . 18 SECTION V: The Legislative Power . 18 SECTION VI: Sessions of the General Assembly. Provisions Common to Both Chambers. The Permanent Commission . 23 SECTION VII: Introduction, Discussion, Passage and Promulgation of the Laws . 28 SECTION VIII: Relations Between the Legislative Power and the Executive Power . 30 SECTION IX: The Executive Power . 32 SECTION X: The Ministers of State . 39 SECTION XI: The Autonomous Entities and Decentralized Services . 41 SECTION XII: The National Economic Council . 45 SECTION XIII: The Tribunal of Accounts . 46 SECTION XIV: The Public Wealth . 48 SECTION XV: The Judicial Power . 52 SECTION XVI: The Government and Administration of the Departments . 58 SECTION XVII: The Contentious-Administrative . 69 SECTION XVII: Electoral Justice . 72 SECTION XIX: The Observance of Former Laws. Enforcement and Amendment of the Present Constitution . 73 Transitory and Special Provisions . 75 Uruguay 1966 (reinst. 1985, rev. 2004) Page 2 constituteproject.org PDF generated: 28 Mar 2017, 19:28 SECTION I: The Nation and Its Sovereignty Chapter I Article 1 The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the political association of all inhabitants included within its territory.
    [Show full text]
  • The Right to Political Participation in International Law
    The Right to Political Participation In International Law Gregory H. Fox I. INTRODUCTION ................................................ 540 I1. THE EMERGING INTERNATIONAL LAW OF PARTICIPATORY RIGHTS ................. 544 A. ParticipatoryRights Before 1948: The Reign of the State Sovereignty Approach ..... 544 B. The Nature and Scope of Post-War Treaty-Based ParticipatoryRights ........... 552 1. The InternationalCovenant on Civil and PoliticalRights ................ 553 a. Non-Discrimination .................................... 553 b. The Right to Take Part in Public Affairs........................ 555 c. Requirements Concerning Elections ........................... 555 2. The FirstProtocol to the European Convention on Human Rights ........... 560 a. Rights Concerning Elections ................................ 561 b. Non-Discrimination .................................... 563 3. The American Convention on Hwnan Rights ........................ 565 4. Other InternationalInstruments Guaranteeing ParticipatoryRights .......... 568 a. The African Charteron Hwnan and Peoples' Rights ................ 568 b. Council on Security and Co-operationin Europe Accords ............. 568 5. Summary of Treaty-Based Norms ................................ 570 II. INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORING: THE ELABORATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF PARTICIPATORY RIGHTS ......................................... 570 A. Election Monitoring Priorto 1945 .................................. 571 B. Monitoring Under the United Nations System .......................... 572 1. The
    [Show full text]