“Golos” analysed non-transparent campaign financing
In the first analytical report Golos reveals non-transparent financing of services during elections of governors held in September 2017. According to the report, the significant costs of services of political advisers have not been properly declared. Such financial violations which apparently exceed the limit of 10% of spendings by electoral funds of candidates can cause […]
EPDE press trip to Ukrainian elections
From October 23 to 30, 2017, upon invitation of EPDE, 5 German journalists took part in a press trip to Ukraine. The press trip focused on Ukrainian’s struggle for electoral law reform, the local elections of October 29, the decentralization process, and the country’s overall reform agenda. The journalists, representing both national and regional media […]
No significant law violations in run-up to Ukrainian local elections
On October 29, local elections will take place in 202 newly united territorial communities across Ukraine. According to a report by EPDE member OPORA, relatively few election law violations were committed during the formation of election commissions and their first meetings. At the same time, lack of coordination between the Law of Ukraine on Local […]
Ukrainian local elections – improvement of law on local elections needed
On October 29, the first elections took place in 201 Ukrainian newly founded territorial communities. The relatively high participation of voters (48.2%) is one reason why there were lines of people still waiting to vote when polling stations closed. According to the preliminary assessment of the CVU, in majority of communities, the observed procedural shortcomings did not […]
EMDS criticizes infringement of fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan
EPDE member EMDS carried out an assessment of the implementation of election-related recommendations by OSCE and the Council of Europe in Azerbaijan. EMDS notes with regret that the Government of Azerbaijan has taken steps towards restricting freedom of expression on the internet and criminalizing unauthorized assemblies. Starting from the end of 2013, the operation of […]
EPDE experts observed the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic
35 EPDE election observers and experts from seven countries took part in the study trip organized during the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. The group held a series of meetings with Czech authorities, election administrators, politicians, independent journalists, media outlets, the expert mission of the ODIHR-OSCE, and representatives of the Czech civil society. On […]
EPDE Policy Alert – Electoral Reform In Ukraine #2
The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) monitors the progress of electoral reform in Ukraine. The second issue of the “EPDE Policy Alert – Electoral Reform in Ukraine” analyzes the outcomes of the rally for reform in Kyiv and the rejection of three draft laws on electoral legislation in the Verkhovna Rada. In October 2017, […]
Fewer violations at Georgian local elections, but harassment of opposition
The Georgian local self-government elections took place on October 21, 2017. According to EPDE member ISFED, the voting process was mostly conducted in compliance with election procedures. Violations were again reported in the electoral district of Marneuli, albeit not on the same scale as before. However, the last four weeks before Election Day were marked […]
New Moldovan election law is partly unconstitutional, study shows
A new study by Moldovan EPDE member Promo-Lex shows that the recently approved mixed-member electoral system will have negative consequences on democracy and civil society in that country. The study argues the provision stipulating that a person has to have a domicile in order to exercise his/her right to vote in a single-member constituency is […]
Fake observation at Russian elections: Golos portraits the “electoral tourists”
According to the Central Election Commission of Russia, 774 international observers from 63 countries were accredited in Russia for the 2016 State Duma elections. There were no official international observers at the September 10, 2017 elections, but election commissions and media reported about a group of foreigners who came to Russia with the informal status […]