Golos criticizes the report of the Presidential Council on regional elections

In Russia, EPDE member GOLOS has criticized a draft report by the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights on the regional elections of September 10. The draft report includes a number of controversial recommendations for the future, such as limiting video monitoring and granting observer status only to members of the Presidential Council and other government institutions, thereby excluding civil society organizations.

 Further, the report omits serious violations that took place during the elections, such as the use of administrative resources by candidates, the exerting of administrative pressure on voters, and the general lack of transparency surrounding the elections. Other critical points are the missing transparency of the new voting order as well as campaign financing.

 At the same time, GOLOS positively highlights that some of its recommendations have been included in the draft report, such as reviewing and possibly eliminating the municipal filter; as well as recommendations with regard to the reconstitution of electoral blocks and the formation of election commissions.