Panama electoral reforms spark debate over party advantages and political leadership

Debates regarding reforms to the Electoral Code in Panama's National Assembly have drawn criticism from legal experts and political figures. Former electoral prosecutor Boris Barrios warned that the proposed reforms maintain an inequality between political party candidates and independent candidates. Barrios argued that the ‘resta mayor’ (largest remainder) method does not eliminate the advantages held by party alliances, as they can still transfer benefits between members to secure seats, potentially outperforming strong individual independent candidates.

Separately, former President Ricardo Martinelli has denounced the electoral reforms as a ‘political maneuver’ intended to undermine his leadership. Martinelli claimed that certain changes being introduced during the second debate aim to prevent him from regaining the presidency of his political party, Realizando Metas (RM). He characterized the efforts as an attempt to ‘decapitate’ both himself and the party.