Electoral rules and affirmative action for national minorities’ participation in the decision-making in the European countries

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Electoral rules and affirmative action for national minorities’ participation in the decision-making in the European countries

Doc. 10227 revised
23 June 2004

Motion for a resolution
presented by Mr Frunda and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

            The Assembly,

1.         Recalls that in accordance with the provisions of the 1995 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the European States are called to create the conditions necessary for the effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities in public affairs in particular those affecting them;

2.         Notes that participation of persons belonging to national minorities or organizations representing national minorities to free local, parliamentarian or presidential elections can not be excluded, but encouraged, as a modality of participation of national minorities to the public life;

3.         Emphasizes that free elections, based on pluralism with regard to political organizations, free expression of the electors’ opinion in the choice of their representatives and representativity are prerequisites for a functional democratic system;

4.         Notes that electoral legislation usually sets forth requirements aimed at ensuring the representation and the fairness of the electoral competition;

5.         Considers that a report on the current situation regarding participation of national minorities in the decision-making process, in particular in the electoral process would be very relevant. At the same time, the analysis of the permissivity of national legislation in the European countries in this regard and the way in which States harmonize representativity and representation, including for national minorities in the electoral process, would be very pertinent. Therefore, the Assembly deems that the well-known expertise of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (The Venice Commission) would be valuable in order to draft a comprehensive analysis and recommendation in this regard.

Signed ^[1]:
FRUNDA Gy�rgy, Romania, EPP/CD
ATES Abd�lkadir, Turkey, SOC
AZZOLINI Claudio, Italy, EPP/CD
BEMELMANS-VIDEC Marie-Louise, Netherlands, EPP/CD
CILEVICS Boriss, Latvia, SOC
DELVAUX-STEHRES Mady, Luxembourg, SOC
E�RSI M�ty�s, Hungary, LDR
GABURRO Giuseppe, Italy, EPP/CD
GLESENER Marcel, Luxembourg, EPP/CD
GROSS Andreas, Switzerland, SOC
Lord JUDD, United Kingdom, SOC
JURGENS Erik, Netherlands, SOC
PANGALOS Theodoros, Greece, SOC
POURGOURIDES Christos, Cyprus, EPP/CD
PRISACARU Ghiorghi, Romania, SOC

[1]

SOC
EPP
EDG
LDR
UEL
NR

Socialist Group
Group of the European People’s Party
European Democratic Group
Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group
Group of the Unified European Left
Not registered in a group