CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE __________________________________________________________________________ In the medium term:  Revise electoral laws to help improve the quality of representatives in the various assemblies. One solution is to be less stringent with the list system of voting by introducing the preferential voting system and, in certain cases, the single-member system (government, in consultation with political parties; Parliament; and associations and civil society movements, in consultation with political parties and the competent authorities).  Create a favourable legal framework for independent candidates (government, in consultation with political parties; Parliament; associations; and civil society movements).  Ensure a more equitable representation of communes and districts in Parliament. One solution would be to guarantee at least one seat for each district (government, in consultation with political parties; and Parliament). 2. To speed up the process of decentralisation: In the short-term: 84  Set up district, village and neighbourhood councils, subject to relevant legal provisions.  Subject to decentralisation laws, transfer powers to the communes, on the bases of progressiveness and subsidiarity, and in line with the financial and institutional capacities of the communes.  Clarify and share resources between the communes and the state, as well as between the communes and their administrative units. This should take into account the need to grant the communes their financial autonomy (see Chapter Four on fiscal decentralisation).  Demarcate the territorial borders of each commune clearly to curb intercommunal conflicts (government).  Establish more stringent requirements for candidates to qualify for the position of mayor. They must be people of integrity with good moral backgrounds, and have at least high school leaving certificates (government, Parliament, municipal councils and voters).  Sensitise and train government workers, elected local councillors and their staff on decentralisation issues and local governance. Disseminate information about legal texts on decentralisation to ensure ownership and efficient implementation of the process (government, mayors and development partners).  Promote decentralised cooperation to help develop municipalities (government, mayors, elected offices, the elite, people of the diaspora and associations).