EU must strengthen its support for citizen election observation
Photo: GNDEM Panel Discussion Representatives from the EPDE travelled to Brussels to advocate for strengthened support by the EU for independent citizen election observation in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood. In our latest study we have found that domestic election observers still face hurdles in many countries of the region, with Russia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus […]
Censorship and penalties: Parliamentary elections worse than ever
This year’s parliamentary elections have already been marred by multiple instances of arbitrary interpretation of electoral laws, Uladzimir Labkovich, coordinator of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”, said in a comment on the case of candidate Uladzimir Zahryshau running in Babrujsk. The candidate was among a few other people across Belarus who were penalized by the […]
Promo-LEX: E-Day Report
Photo: Promo-LEX The observation mission on Election Day of the first round of the General Local elections and by-elections of the 20th October reported that in general the opening of polling stations (PS) went smoothly on E-day. 407 incidents have been analysed by Promo-LEX, most frequently reported incidents, but not significantly numerous, were: deficiencies […]
Comparative study on conditions for citizen election observation in the EU–EaP and Russia
EPDE’s newest study has found that conditions for domestic election observation, both in legislation and in practice, and attitudes towards it vary considerably across countries of the European Union’s Eastern Neighborhood. “Russia ranks the worst since there are no legal provisions allowing for civil society to be directly accredited as election observers”, says Tatyana Hilscher-Bogussevich, election expert […]
Controversial ‘International Observation’ at the 2019 Regional elections in Russia
In July 2019, the Moscow City Election Commission (MCEC) refused to register the overwhelming majority of independent opposition candidates for the elections to the Moscow City Duma. In order to neutralise the negative effects of the MCEC’s decision, which provoked mass protests in Moscow and undermined the legitimacy of the elections, Russian state institutions […]
Domestic observers report lack of progress in nomination and registration of candidates
Parliamentary elections 2019: Report on the nomination and registration of candidates The nomination and registration of candidates were not marked by any significant differences as compared to the previous parliamentary elections, concludes an interim report by the nation-wide campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. The findings were presented today at a press conference in […]
Promo-LEX: Recent legislative changes create substantial ambiguities for participants in the electoral process
Photo: Promo-LEX On 20 October, nation-wide Local elections will take place in Moldova. Furthermore, Parliamentary elections are scheduled in four constituencies, where the deputies previously resigned. Promo-Lex sees the introduction of amendments to the Electoral Code during the electoral period as having a negative impact on the correctness and predictability of the electoral process In […]
Report on the preparation to and political situation prior to the 27 December 2019 Municipal Elections
Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) prepared an assessment of the preparations to the 27 December 2019 Municipal Elections, the fifth in the history of independent Azerbaijan. The document analyses the pre-election situation and the implementation status of recommendations of domestic and international organizations, particularly those by Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights […]
Discrimination against opposition in formation of DECs and PECs
Parliamentary elections 2019. Report on the formation of territorial and district election commissions Observation of the elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus is carried out by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the framework of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. […]
Growing acceptance for citizen election observers – except in Russia
Photos: OSCE/Piotr Dziubak On 17 September 2019, within the working session on Democratic institutions of the OSCE’s Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw, the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) criticized Russia’s harassment of citizen election observation in the country. According to EPDE, a coalition of 14 independent citizen European election observer organisations, […]