Luanda — The Constitutional Court has not yet received any formal request for the extinction of political parties that got less than 0,5 per cent of the votes, in last September's legislative elections, as outlined in the law.

This information has been given to ANGOP by the chief judge of the Constitutional Court (TC), Rui Ferreira, on an exclusive interview.

The judge reminded that according to the Law on Political Parties, a political organisation that does not get at least 0,5 per cent of the votes, in a legislative election, is listed in the TC for extinction.

However, he explained, the extinction process is not automatic, since the request for such legal action must be filed by the National Assembly Speaker, the State's Attorney-General, and any political party operating legally.

"So far, not one of the three mentioned entities has formalised any request for us to start the extinction process of any party and the law does not allow the court (TC) to act on its own initiative" Rui Ferreira explained.

The top judge seized the occasion to reveal that according to the results of the parliamentary elections, about 22 parties can be listed for extinction.

The 22 parties are PDP-ANA, Pajoca, PLD, FPD, Padepa, which participated in the poll as independent organisations, plus several other political groups gathered in three different coalitions, namely Plataforma Política Eleitoral (PPE), Fórum Fraternal Angolano (FOFAC) and AD-Coligação.

Last September's legislative election was contested by ten political parties and four coalitions.

Judge Rui Ferreira explained that the legal extinction of any political organisation means the termination of its activity.

"But this extinction does not place any restriction to the capacities and political rights of the leaders (of the extinct organisation). They can be part of other political projects".