30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding?

Código Electoral de la República de Panamá
Artículo 207: 
El financiamiento preelectoral estará destinado a contribuir. con los gastos de campaña electoral de los candidatos por libre postulación y partidos políticos que decidan participar en las elecciones generales, Dicho financiamiento será el 50% del total financiamiento público asignado a las respectivas elecciones y se distribuirá según se dispone en los siguientes artículos.

Artículo 208:
El 7 % del monto correspondiente al financiamiento preelectoral se asignará a los candidatos por libre postulación para ser invertido por estos en propaganda electoral y gastos de campaña; y se repartirá así: dos terceras partes para los tres candidatos presidenciales y un tercio para los candidatos a los demás cargos.
El monto correspondiente se repartirá en función de las firmas válidas obtenidas por cada uno de ellos.

Artículo 210:
El 93 % del monto correspondiente al financiamiento preelectoral, se asignará a todos los partidos políticos que participarán en las elecciones, para ser invertido en propaganda electoral y gastos de campaña, por conducto del Tribunal Electoral, de conformidad con las normas de este capítulo, así:
1. Reparto fijo igualitario. El 25 % se asignará, por partes iguales, a cada partido constituido.
2. Reparto proporcional. El 75 % restante se distribuirá entre los partidos políticos con base en el promedio de votos obtenido por cada uno en las cuatro elecciones (presidente, diputados, alcaldes y representantes de corregimiento), en la última elección general.
El monto que le corresponda a cada partido, según la fórmula anterior, se entregará así:
a) 30 % para contribuir a los gastos de la campaña y se le entregará dentro de los treinta días siguientes a la fecha en que justifiquen los gastos incurridos, o bien mediante adelanto garantizado por una fianza de anticipo por el 100 % del adelanto.
b) 70 % para contribuir a los gastos de propaganda electoral. Este aporte será pagado por el Tribunal Electoral directamente a la respectiva empresa, medio o agencia de publicidad, por cuenta del partido, según el desglose presentado por este, respaldado por las facturas correspondientes como evidencia de que la publicidad ha sido efectivamente brindada. Este aporte será entregado dentro de los sesenta días siguientes a la presentación de la referida documentación. Esta presentación deberá hacerse una vez quede abierto el proceso electoral y hasta el día anterior al de las elecciones.

Artículo 216: 
La forma de calcular el reparto del financiamiento poselectoral es la siguiente:
1. El monto a distribuir es el 50 % del monto del financiamiento público asignado a las elecciones más los saldos no utilizados del preelectoral.
2. De ese monto se deducirá un 20 % en concepto de reparto igualitario entre los partidos políticos que hayan subsistido.
3. El 80 % restante se distribuirá con base en los votos obtenidos por los partidos políticos y los funcionarios electos por libre postulación.
4. Los partidos políticos recibirán su aporte con base en votos, utilizando el promedio de votos obtenidos en las cuatro elecciones (presidente, diputado, alcalde y representante de corregimiento), y los funcionarios electos por libre postulación recibirán con base en los votos obtenidos, independientemente del tipo de elección.

Article 207:
Pre-electoral financing shall be destined to contribute to the electoral campaign expenses of the candidates and political parties that decide to participate in the general elections. Said financing shall be 50% of the total public financing assigned to the respective elections and shall be distributed as provided in the following articles.

Article 208:
Seven percent of the amount corresponding to the pre-electoral financing shall be assigned to the candidates for free nomination to be invested in electoral propaganda and campaign expenses; and shall be distributed as follows: two thirds for the three presidential candidates and one third for the candidates for the other offices.
The corresponding amount shall be distributed according to the number of valid signatures obtained by each one of them.

Article 210: 
93% of the amount corresponding to pre-electoral financing shall be allocated to all political parties that shall participate in the elections, to be invested in electoral propaganda and campaign expenses, through the Electoral Tribunal, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, as follows:
1. Equal fixed distribution. Twenty-five percent shall be assigned, in equal parts, to each constituted party.
2. Proportional distribution. The remaining 75% shall be distributed among the political parties based on the average number of votes obtained by each one in the four elections (president, deputies, mayors and corregimiento representatives), in the last general election.
The amount corresponding to each party, according to the above formula, shall be delivered as follows:
(a) 30 % to contribute to campaign expenses and shall be delivered to it within thirty days following the date on which they justify the expenses incurred, or by means of an advance payment bond for 100 % of the advance.
b) 70% to contribute to the expenses of electoral propaganda. This contribution shall be paid by the Electoral Tribunal directly to the respective company, media or advertising agency, on behalf of the party, according to the breakdown presented by the party, supported by the corresponding invoices as evidence that the advertising has been effectively provided. This contribution shall be delivered within sixty days following the presentation of the referred documentation. This presentation shall be made once the electoral process is open and up to the day prior to the day of the elections.

Article 216. How to calculate the distribution of the post-electoral financing:
1. The amount to be distributed is 50% of the amount of public financing allocated to the elections plus the unused balances from the pre-election.
2. From that amount, 20 % shall be deducted as an equal distribution among the political parties that have got through.
3. The remaining 80% shall be distributed based on the votes obtained by the political parties and the officials elected by free nomination.
4. The political parties shall receive their contribution based on votes, using the average of votes obtained in the four elections (president, deputy, mayor and township representative), and the officials elected by free nomination shall receive their contribution based on the votes obtained, regardless of the type of election.

Unofficial English translation.

Pre-election financing:
- Proportional to votes received in previous elections (political party candidates).
- Proportional to the signatures obtained (independent candidacies).
- A percentage is assigned equally to all parties.
Post-election financing:
- Proportional to votes received in next election (both, political party candidates and independent candidates).
- A percentage is assigned equally to all political parties that survived.

"Regarding the pre-electoral financing, it comprises 50% of the public financing. Of the total, 7% is assigned to the free nomination candidacies. Of the 7%, two thirds are for the three main candidates and the other third for other positions, in addition, what corresponds to each candidate is proportional to the amount of signatures obtained for their nomination.
The other 93% is assigned to all the political parties that will participate in the elections. Of this 93%, 25% is assigned in equal parts, the other 75% is distributed proportionally to the votes received in the previous elections. Of the amount allocated to each party, 30% is for campaign expenses and 70% for electoral propaganda.
With respect to the post-electoral financing, it comprises 50% of the public financing plus the unused pre-electoral financing. Of the total, 20% is distributed equally among all political parties that have survived, the other 80% is distributed proportionally to the votes obtained."
Source: Electoral Code, Articles 207, 208, 210 and 216.