UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000887


SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS,
INL FOR KEVIN BROWN, HEATHER WILD AND MEAGAN MCBRIDE
INR/IAA
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINR EAID HA
SUBJECT: LESPWA STALLS POLITICAL PARTIES LAW

PORT AU PR 00000887 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) SUMMARY. LESPWA has stalled progress in Parliament
on the draft political parties law, as the approval of the
current version would undermine the preferential access and
influence it has as the party allied with President Preval.
The proposal would reduce the number of political parties and
regulate party financing and administration, but could also
be used as a political tool to sideline the weak and
fractious opposition. LESPWA's majority in the Senate
ensures that any reform of the political parties law will be
on its terms. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Chamber of Deputies approved, before the end of
its regular session, a law on political parties aimed at
regulating, financing and reducing the number of political
parties in Haiti. The main features of the law are outlined
below.


3. (U) The law as drafted would require political parties to
gather a minimum of signed endorsements equivalent to five
percent of the electorate. This would amount to about
200,000 signatures, compared to the 5,000 required now. In
effect, few political parties could meet this criterion
(Note: Less than 500,000 Haitians voted in the last
Senatorial elections, and none of the parties garnered
anywhere near 200,000 votes in support). It is probable that
the five percent threshold will be reduced before passage.


4. (U) In addition, political parties would be required to
appoint a legal representative and officially publish their
internal rules. All political parties would also be required
to re-register after the law is passed, thus complicating the
fortunes of parties like Fanmi Lavalas, whose leadership is
internally contested (the Provisional Electoral Council
excluded Lavalas from the previous senatorial elections on
these grounds).


5. (U) In terms of financing, the law would earmark one
percent of state revenues for the funding of political
parties (about USD 10 million a year). Major political
parties such as LESPWA could receive up to USD 2 million,
while smaller regional movements (if they,ve managed to get
recognized) would only receive a marginal amount. Campaign
financing is not addressed by the political party law (Note:
the electoral law, already in effect, provides state
financing to candidates, while the new political party law
would fund parties directly. Currently, the GOH provides
little financing to candidates - about USD 2,000 - and
payments end up being made after the elections are over).


6. (SBU) COMMENT. The proposal, if adopted, could bring
welcome changes, significantly reducing political parties,
forcing alliances and mergers, and eventually encouraging the
development of policy-oriented platforms. However,
objections are already being voiced as many parties fear
being put out of business.


7. (SBU) More importantly, LESPWA (President Preval's party)
has used its majority to stall the progress of the law in the
Senate, and changes are likely to be made to the proposal.
LESPWA is in fact content with the status quo, especially
ahead of upcoming legislative and presidential elections in

2010. Many observers believe that LESPWA's ties to Preval
and its influence guarantees that it has access to government
resources for campaigning (it was widely reported that LESPWA
candidates benefited from government vehicles and other
resources in the run-up to senatorial elections this summer).
Should the law pass, opposition parties would benefit
financially, something LESPWA and Preval have no incentive to
see happen.


8. (SBU) Some version of the law is likely to be passed
before next year. LESPWA will remain the predominant force
both in Parliament and in the political arena ahead of next
year,s elections, unless parliamentarians not affiliated
with LESPWA join forces. This becomes especially likely if
smaller political parties are prevented from registering.
However, despite LESPWA,s increasing influence, electoral

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prospects remain unpredictable.
MERTEN