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.

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.

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.

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.