A tilted playing field favors the government in Hungary’s April 3 parliamentary elections
Parliamentary elections are taking place in Hungary on April 3 and will be decided among two political blocks in an unprecedentedly polarized environment. Several concerns raised regarding the elections relate to the legal environment, while others to the uneven playing field, especially regarding the media landscape and campaign financing, which all tilt the playing field […]
Illegitimate Russian government waging war on Europe
On 24 February, military attacks were launched against Ukraine by a Russian government that lacks legitimacy after being elected through unfair and undemocratic elections. This attack was ordered by Putin and his justification for the attack was approved by the State Duma, which unanimously ratified Putin’s decree recognizing the independence of Ukraine’s separatist republics. […]
Constitutional referendum – findings and conclusions
On February 24, the Russian Federation launched a military attack on Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus. The transport and military infrastructure of Belarus is used for military operations. The authorities have not attempted to eliminate the factors in the legal regulation of electoral procedures that led to the onset of the post-election […]
Constitutional referendum – findings and conclusions
Discussion summary – Belarus’ constitutional referendum amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: what are the consequences for Europe?
Originally, this EPDE public discussion was planned to discuss the constitutional referendum in Belarus. However, the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine forced a complete change of focus, looking not only at what this referendum means for Belarus, but also at the more far-reaching implications of growing authoritarianism for European security. The Belarusian case teaches Europe […]
French MEPs sanctioned for Russia election monitoring trips
Referendum 2022: Analytical report on election campaigning
SUMMARY The referendum and related events remain out of the attention of the general public. The attitude to the referendum is characterized as “indifferent and hostile” and a tendency to boycott is noted. Among the reasons for such an attitude are the general tense atmosphere in society due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the continuous repression […]
Schröder must pay!
Mr Former Federal Chancellor, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has ordered a war of aggression against Ukraine. His air force is bombing places all over the country, the ground troops are advancing deeper and deeper. Mr Schröder, you yourself demand: “The war and the suffering it causes for the people of Ukraine must be stopped […]
Joint statement to OSCE States
European election observers and Hungarian civil society organisations call on EU Member State governments to honour OSCE ODIHR’s recommendations and second election observers to Hungary for the parliamentary elections on April 3 22 February 2022 To EU Member State Governments – As a group of leading election observer groups from across the EU and Hungarian […]
EU states must second sufficient observers to ODIHR’s EOM
22 February 2022 As a group of leading election observer groups from across the EU and Hungarian civil society organisations, we are calling on OSCE participating States, and particularly those within the EU, to honour the recommendations made by OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and second long-term and short-term […]