Documents

2016

Parliamentary Elections in Belarus

Parliamentary Elections 11 September 2016 in Belarus: OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report

OSCE/ODIHR
Belarus

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The 11 September parliamentary elections were efficiently organized, but, despite some first steps by the authorities, a number of long-standing systemic shortcomings remain. The legal framework restricts political rights and fundamental freedoms and was interpreted in an overly restrictive manner. There was an overall increase in the number of candidates, including from the opposition, but the campaign lacked visibility. Media coverage of the campaign did not enable voters to make an informed choice. Following a timely invitation, the authorities exhibited a welcoming approach towards international observers.

 

Parliamentary elections in the Russia

Analitical report on the election campaign in media

GOlOS
Russia

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In contrast to the intense and lively campaign of 2011, the apathetic campaign of 2016 left no significant information trace. Although legislative changes were supposed to stimulate the media activities of non-parliamentary and small parties, this did not happen –“United Russia” totally dominated over other parties in both federal and regional media. 

 

Parliamentary elections in Belarus

Report on Election Campaigning

BHC&Viasna
Belarus

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In most regions, the conditions for campaigning were improved as compared to the previous elections. However, the candidates were not provided with equal rights; pro-government candidates enjoyed better conditions for campaigning: they made extensive use of the administrative resources, including electronic and print media; there were cases of pro-government candidates’ meetings with voters during working hours, reporting inaccurate or false information about the schedule of meetings on the websites of local governments.

 

Parliamentary elections in Russia

Registration of political parties and candidates

GOLOS
Russia

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74 parties had the formal right to nominate candidates for the election of deputies to the State Duma in 2016. However, only one-third of those parties attempted to take part in the 2016 State Duma elections because the Russian electoral system combines excessive demands on the number of signatures necessary for candidate registration with extremely rigid requirements for their inspection.

 

Statement

Statement on restrictions of the activities of local observers and mass media representatives in the Draft Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia

TI & HCAV
Armenia

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The Draft Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia was adopted by the National Assembly of Armenia in its third reading on May 25, 2016. Unfortunately, neither the proposals submitted by the political forces and civil society, nor the recommendations on 2012 parliamentary and 2013 presidential elections by OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission and on 2015 referendum by Referendum Expert Team and considerable part of the recommendations put forward in the Preliminary Joint Opinion on the Draft Electoral Code of Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR failed to be considered.

 

Presentation by Stanislav Andreychuk

Campaign Finance of the Elections in Russia

Golos
Russia

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On the invitation of MEPs Heidi Hautala and Rebecca Harms of the Green faction in the European Parliament, Golos experts presented their first conclusions on the preparations of the parliamentary campaign in Russia. According to the Golos’ expert Stanislav Andreychuk, campaigning of several candidates supported by the ruling United Russia party during the regular regional and local elections is supported by companies registered in European countries, which contradicts the Russian law according to which foreign founding for a broad spectrum of political activities is strictly forbidden.

 

Ukraine

Local Elelctions in Ukraine: a view from outside

OPORA&CVU
Ukraine

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The purpose of this report is: (1) To review international standards on the right to universal and equal suffrage and find out if this right encompasses the corresponding rights of IDPs too; (2) To examine the practices of those countries which managed to ensure the right to political participation for IDPs and can be considered as best practices; (3) To compare positive and negative sides of those options used in other countries which enable IDPs to exercise their right to vote; (4) To elaborate some recommendations for solving the problem in Ukraine.

 

Ukraine

Local Elelctions in Ukraine: a view from outside. Arkadiy Liubarev

OPORA&CVU
Ukraine

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On October 25, Ukraine held elections to regional, district, city, town, and village councils, as well as elections of heads of cities, towns, and villages. Elections of regional, district, and city councils used what is, for Ukraine, a new version of the proportional election system, in which political party lists are divided into parts corresponding to territorial constituencies (equal to the number of mandates), and where each part may not include more than one candidate. Such a model created the illusion among voters that they are voting for specific candidates (as they would in the majority election system), while in reality their vote went primarily to political parties.

 

Parliamentary elections in Slovakia

EPDE press release on Parliamentary elections in Slovakia, 5 March 2016

Slovakia

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From 1 till 7 March 2016, 50 EPDE monitors from Poland, Russia, Azerbaijan, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden and Ukraine  observed the last stage of the parliamentary elections in Slovakia scheduled on 5 March 2016. During the election day, EPDE observers visited over 250 polling stations in all regions of the country. EPDE observers underlined the transparency of the preparation for the election day and the overall trust in and the integrity of the election day proceedings. However, some regulations of the 2014 adopted election law should be an subject of further consideration in order to strengthen the rights of voters and observers.

 

Statement

Statement on the Drafting of the New Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia

TI & HCAV
Armenia

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Citizen’s election observers urge the Armenian authorities to safeguard transparency of the process of drafting the new election law and to include all relevant experts, representatives of the civil society and the political parties in the process. The authorities should establish an updated voter register and provide proper voter lists, cancel undue restrictions of the observers’ rights and introduce cameras at the polling stations with live stream on internet.