AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

A) WOMEN’S BRANCH: Conducts activities to ensure the active contribution of women to public and political life and to improve educational, health and employment opportunities. In this context, establishes ties with related NGOs as well as with national and international women’s organizations. Formulates projects aimed at improving the living standards of women. Organizes meetings to determine basic women’s issues and reports the results of these meetings to relevant organs of the Party.

B) YOUTH BRANCH: This branch was established to ensure that young people participate in politics and aims to train the politicians of the future. It performs activities to determine political, social and cultural problems and demands of the youth, prepares projects aimed at solving these problems and submits these projects to the relevant bodies of the Party.

The ranks, management and executive boards of the Women’s and Youth branches exercise within their organizations the same authority as that of the Party’s main tier organizations.

C) REFEREE BOARD FOR DEMOCRACY WITHIN THE PARTY: The Party Central Referee Board for Democracy, the bodies of the Party Headquarters and the Affiliated Organizations of the Party Headquarters, or the members of any of these organs, work towards establishing an environment for the peaceful resolution of disputes between members of the Parliamentary Group, members of Headquarters and those of Affiliated Organizations, at the same time determining methods of settlement.

The Referee Boards for Democracy within the Party may not intervene in disputes ex officio. An application by one of the parties to the dispute is necessary and sufficient to allow the Board to intervene in a dispute.

The decisions of the Referee Boards for Democracy within the Party shall be in writing and shall specify the grounds for its decision. Decisions shall be binding upon the parties to the dispute but only serve as a recommendation in terms of the Party’s legal entity.

D) PARTY DISCIPLINARY BOARDS

These are boards authorized to conduct a disciplinary inquiry and take a decision on the actions of Party members who are in violation of the Party’s Charter and Program or have acted against the decisions of the authorized organs of the Party. Disciplinary Boards may not initiate or conduct an inquiry ex officio. Authority to refer a case to the Provincial Disciplinary Board or to the Provincial Executive Board or to the Central Disciplinary Board or to the Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee and the Central Executive Committee or to the Parliamentary Group Disciplinary Board and to the Joint Disciplinary Board belongs to the Parliamentary Group Disciplinary Board and the Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee or to the Central Executive Committee.

Party Disciplinary Boards may issue to the person who is the subject of a complaint, warnings, admonishments and notices of temporary suspension or permanent expulsion from the Party or the group.a

A Party member about whom a disciplinary action in the form of a suspension or expulsion has been taken may object to the action on grounds of lack of authority of the body referring the matter to the Disciplinary Board or of the Disciplinary Board itself, or on the basis of a claim that the decision is a violation, in form or in method, of the Party Charter. After exercising his/her rights of objection, the individual may further place a claim with the relevant civil court of first instance within 30 days of the final decision of the Party.

Provided it has been advised by the Party Chairman, clemency for disciplinary action initiated by Disciplinary Boards is under the authority of the Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee.