The Court rejected the complaint filed by HCA Vanadzor challenging the lawfulness of the territorial electoral commission’s actions and the decision made, and, the plaintiffs were deprived of the opportunity to appeal the decision by re-examination.
The second Winter Camp for election observers of the member organisations of the European Platform for Democratic Elections took place in Warsaw, Poland, involving a large group of experts, observers and volunteers from Eastern and Western Europe.
The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) has launched its new website! Presented in a fresh design, the site offers many new features and possibilities for visitors, members, partners, and journalists. Please note that the content will be uploaded to our new site step by step.
Executive officials still demonstrated an obviously discriminatory approach to the opposition parties during the formation of the District Election Commissions (DECs).
Observation 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".
In 99.7% of polling stations the counting process was conducted without major incidents. The polling station #59 in Ozurgeti was an exception, where, apparently, there was a focused attempt to create disturbances and annul the precinct.
In an assessment of the pre-election period ahead of the upcoming runoffs of mayoral races scheduled on November 12, ISFED observed instances of harassment and intimidation on political grounds in Ozurgeti.
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.
On October 29, local elections will take place in 202 newly united territorial communities across Ukraine. According to a report by OPORA, few violations were committed during the formation of election commissions and their first meetings.
EPDE member EMDS notes with regret that the Government of Azerbaijan has taken steps towards restricting freedom of expression on the internet and criminalizing unauthorized assemblies.
35 EPDE election observers and experts from seven countries took part in the study trip organized during the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. On both voting days, the group observed the voting and counting process.
Three draft laws on the parliamentary elections, registered in the Parliament in December 2014, have finally been added to the agenda of the Parliament for the first reading on Thursday, October 19, 2017. However, all three initiatives failed to receive necessary support in the Parliament.
The Georgian local self-government elections took place on October 21, 2017. According to ISFED, the voting process was mostly conducted in compliance with election procedures. Violations were again reported in the electoral district of Marneuli.
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 of “foreign experts.”
In Armenia, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor analyzed the recommendations by international election observers and their implementation in the 2017 National Assembly and Yerevan City Council Elections.
On September 26, the Parliament of Georgia passed constitutional changes affecting the electoral system. Despite heavy protests by the opposition, civil society, and the Venice Commission, the mixed voting system will not be abolished until 2020.
Electoral reform is currently not on the agenda of the Ukrainian Parliament. However, with the next parliamentary elections scheduled for 2019, the Parliament should start to discuss the already existing draft laws on parliamentary elections and the Elections Code right now.
Golos has criticized a draft report by the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights on the regional elections of September 10. The draft report includes a number of controversial recommendations for the future.
The Central Election Commission' policy of intolerance to violations and fraud had an overall positive effect on the election process. Nevertheless, illegal strategies and tactics are still prevalent in certain regions.
Municipal elections will take place in Moscow on 10 September 2017. Current campaigning is mostly taking place under the radar. Regional media, including city television and district newspapers, continue to pay little attention to the upcoming elections.
On the occasion of the Ukrainian local elections on 29 October 2017, the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) October 2017 will organize a press trip to Ukraine for German-speaking journalists, from 23 to 30 October 2017. Please see the full details of this call (in German).
For the past 15 years, Promo-LEX has actively promoted fair and transparent elections in Moldova and abroad, advocated and defended human rights and stood up for the civil society.
The local self-government elections in Georgia will take place on 21 October 2017. The Georgian EPDE member ISFED has recently published a report assesing the pre-election environment.
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, an EPDE member, will organize for the fourth time the international election observation of the Norwegian parliamentary elections, which will take place on Monday, 11th of September.
Belarusian authorities have not abandoned the repressive practices against their political opponents: peaceful protesters are still subjected to administrative liability, other civil and political rights are restricted, the country has new political prisoners.
The Council of Europe has recently published the new handbooks "Reporting on elections" and "Using international election standards", in which several EPDE members made their contribution.
The European Exchange is recruiting a highly qualified and motivated PR professional with an interest in political issues, especially election observation. The position is part-time and will start on 01.06.2017.
‘Independent Observer’ Public Alliance identified widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs.
Many issues identified during the election campaign (widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs) and the atmosphere of impunity resulting from the improper reaction and inaction of the RA Central Election Commission, the Police and other law-enforcement agencies also affected the election day. The desired results for the ruling party through its territorial candidates were ensured by vote-buying and other illegal means not prevented or examined properly by competent authorities so far. The National Assembly elections were accompanied by numerous frauds and widespread control over the voters
Many issues identified during the election campaign (widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs) and the atmosphere of impunity resulting from the improper reaction and inaction of the RA Central Election Commission, the Police and other law-enforcement agencies also affected the election day. The desired results for the ruling party through its territorial candidates were ensured by vote-buying and other illegal means not prevented or examined properly by competent authorities so far. The National Assembly elections were accompanied by numerous frauds and widespread control over the voters.
Many issues identified during the election campaign (widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs) and the atmosphere of impunity resulting from the improper reaction and inaction of the RA Central Election Commission, the Police and other law-enforcement agencies also affected the election day. The desired results for the ruling party through its territorial candidates were ensured by vote-buying and other illegal means not prevented or examined properly by competent authorities so far. The National Assembly elections were accompanied by numerous frauds and widespread control over the voters
Many issues identified during the election campaign (widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs) and the atmosphere of impunity resulting from the improper reaction and inaction of the RA Central Election Commission, the Police and other law-enforcement agencies also affected the election day. The desired results for the ruling party through its territorial candidates were ensured by vote-buying and other illegal means not prevented or examined properly by competent authorities so far. The National Assembly elections were accompanied by numerous frauds and widespread control over the voters.
Citizen Observer Initiative and Independent Observer Public Alliance together with the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) presented today their findings on the monitoring of election day held on 2 April in Armenia.
On 26 March 2017 Russian police arrested hundreds of mostly young people for joining nationwide anti-corruption protests in Russia. Officially accredited Civic Monitoring Commission was deprived of the right to monitor the activities of the police.
Citizen Observer Initiative and Independent Observer Public Alliance, together with the EPDE will announce their action plan for the election day on 2 April, 2017. They will also present their conclusions on the observation of the campaigning period.
On Saturday 25 March the Minsk office of the Belarusian EPDE-member organisation Human Rights Center Viasna was raided by the police. 57 human rights defenders were detained.
On February 17 - 22, EPDE experts Roman Udot and Adam Busuleanu held a series of meetings with EPDE observers in Armenia to coordinate its study mission to the upcoming parliamentary elections...