Resolution tabled by the Partido Conservador of Nicaragua at the IDU Executive Meeting on May 20

The International Democrat Union (IDU) is deeply concerned about the political situation in Nicaragua. Since taking office, the regime of President Ortega has dismantled nearly all institutional checks on presidential power. Persistent problems include severe restrictions on freedom of expression and association as well as political discrimination of the political opposition.

In the outlook of the upcoming election on November 7^th, 2021, the regime is losing any restraint to pretend that there will be a free and fair election.

• The new Electoral Supreme Council is composed exclusively of members and allies of the governing party, intentionally excluding representatives of all opposition parties and opposition lawmakers.
• The National Assembly has not included the necessary reforms to the Electoral Law, which were approved by the General Assembly of the OAS on October 21^st, 2020.
• The recent cancellation of the legal status of opposition parties indicates the regime’s intention to eliminate any chance for political participation in the upcoming election on November 7^th, 2021

Under these circumstances, the elections will lack the basic guarantees to be free and fair before they have even started and are simply designed to generate a tailor-made opposition.

Therefore, the IDU demands:

1. that members of the opposition parties be included in the Supreme Electoral Council, and that the reforms approved by the OAS be part of the Electoral Law;
2. the immediate restoration of the legal status of Partido Conservador; and
3. that the Ortega regime admits an independent international election observation mission to guarantee free and fair elections.