Print
See related documents

Report | Doc. 13021 | 14 September 2012

For more democratic elections

Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy

Rapporteur : Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO, Monaco, EPP/CD

Origin - Reference to committee: Decision by the Bureau of the Assembly, Reference 3629 of 25 January 2010. 2012 - Fourth part-session

Summary

Whereas domestic electoral legislation in most Council of Europe member States generally offers a good basis to hold “free and fair” elections, recurrent violations occur, mainly due to a lack of political commitment at the highest level to ensure full and effective implementation of the law and a level playing field for all candidates.

On the basis of election observation reports and other Council of Europe sources, the report notes that election-related violations still occur in a number of Council of Europe member States, in particular: in the pre-electoral period (opacity of election campaign funding or lack of equal access to the media), on voting day or during counting (ballot box stuffing or falsification of electoral protocols), in the post-electoral period (ineffective complaints and appeals procedures) or throughout the electoral process (misuse of administrative resources; threats, pressure, violence and intimidation of candidates and voters).

The report thus proposes measures to improve the democratic character of elections by fostering participation, ensuring transparency and strengthening supervision.

A. Draft resolution 
			(1) 
			Draft resolution adopted
unanimously by the committee on 10 September 2012.

(open)

B. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Gardetto, rapporteur

(open)