Seven Keys to Change: A Technical, Political and Legal Analysis of the 2007 Electoral Process

The report constitutes a natural extension of the concerted efforts by international and domestic actors to ensure the honesty and legitimacy of the 2007 elections in Guatemala. These were the first elections organized under the new standards established by reforms to the Law on Elections and Political Parties in 2004 and 2006, which affected the electoral model as well as the basic rules for the political party system.

The political objectives that give rise to electoral reform are transformed to a greater or lesser extent in the practical application of the reforms, and the desired results are not always achieved. There is no linear or unequivocal relationship between the two sides of the equation. For that reason, an analysis of the impact and results of certain legal reforms on key institutions such as the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and political parties is important for understanding lessons learned and ensuring a continuous effort toward the perfection of electoral democracy.