{
  "id": 58335,
  "title": "Political parties should move towards open primaries to deepen internal democracy – Prof Kwasi Prempeh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/political-parties-should-move-towards-open-primaries-to-deepen",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-02T20:11:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/political-parties-should-move-towards-open-primaries-to-deepen-internal-democracy-prof-kwasi-prempeh/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Constitutional Review Committee Chairman, Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has reiterated his advocacy for Ghana's political parties to transition from the delegate system to more open and participatory primary elections. In an interview with Accra-based Woezor TV, Prof Prempeh argued that such a shift would deepen internal democracy and align with democratic governance principles. He noted that while the delegate system has traditionally been the standard for selecting parliamentary and presidential candidates in major political parties, there are indications that the parties themselves recognize the necessity for broader membership participation. According to Prof Prempeh, the increase in delegate numbers across election cycles demonstrates this growing acceptance within the parties. He pointed out that both major political parties have incrementally expanded their electoral college sizes, allowing more delegates to participate in the selection of party leaders and parliamentary candidates. This gradual expansion, according to Prempeh, reflects an understanding among the parties that broader participation enhances the legitimacy of internal elections. The professor suggested that the trend points towards a desire among the parties to move away from a system dominated by a few key delegates. Instead, he believes the natural progression should be towards open primaries where party members directly vote. He mentioned an earlier effort by one of Ghana's major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to significantly widen the scope of its internal elections. Although the party ultimately reversed this decision, discussions with party officials indicated that concerns about political competitiveness influenced the change. Prof Prempeh emphasized that open primaries, where all registered party members participate in candidate selection, are a more democratic approach. He stressed that political parties, as essential institutions in Ghana's democracy, should operate according to democratic principles. He reiterated that empowering the wider party membership to elect candidates would bolster transparency, accountability, and the legitimacy of elected representatives. The Constitutional Review Committee is currently consulting various stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, traditional authorities, professional bodies, and the public, on a range of constitutional and governance matters. Prof Prempeh acknowledged that transitioning from a delegate-based system to open primaries would necessitate careful planning and broad consensus among the political parties.",
  "summary": "Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has renewed calls for Ghana's political parties to gradually abandon the delegate system in favour of more open and participatory primary elections, arguing that such a move would strengthen internal democracy and better reflect the principles of democratic governance.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "Delegate system skews power towards wealthy political aspirants – Prof H.K Prempeh",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/delegate-system-skews-power-towards-wealthy-political-aspirants-prof",
        "published": "2026-08-02T20:53:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}