1726 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right to participate in public affairs of their State of origin and to vote and to be elected at elections of that State, in accordance with its legislation."
- "In applying the provisions of this Convention, Governments shall: Establish means by which these peoples can freely participate, to at least the same extent as other sectors of the population, at all levels of decision-making in elective institutions and administrative and other bodies responsible for policies and programmes which concern them."
- "Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law."
- "The High Contracting Parties agree that the right to vote and to be elected at national office shall not be denies or abridged by reason of sex."
- "The observance of the principle of universal suffrage means: a) every citizen, upon coming up to the age fixed by the Constitution, laws, has the right to elect and to be elected to the bodies of state power, to local self-governments, other bodies of people’s (national) representation, to elective posts on the conditions and in line with procedures stipulated by the Constitution and laws."
- "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: 7. Effective participation of citizens in democratic and development processes and in governance of public affairs."
- "Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that women have equal rights with men to vote and be voted for in elections, to participate in the formulation of government policies and the implementation thereof and to hold public offices and perform public functions at all levels of governance."
- "In support of democracy and the democratic process We will: promote political representation, thus providing for all citizens to participate in the political process in a free and fair political environment."
- "National minorities are recognized to have an equal right to participation in public affairs, including through being effectively represented in public offices. This includes the rights to vote, stand for election, participate in public affairs, and form political parties without discrimination."
- "Each Party undertakes, subject to the provisions of Article 9, paragraph 1, to grant to every foreign resident the right to vote and to stand for election in local authority elections, provided that he fulfils the same legal requirements as apply to nationals and furthermore has been a lawful and habitual resident in the State concerned for the 5 years preceding the elections."
- "[P]rovision may be made for depriving individuals of their right to vote and to be elected, but only subject to the following cumulative conditions. ii. it must be provided for by law; iii. the proportionality principle must be observed; conditions for depriving individuals of the right to stand for election may be less strict than for disenfranchising them; iv. The deprivation must be based on ... a criminal conviction for a serious offence. v. Furthermore, the withdrawal of political rights ... may only be imposed by express decision of a court of law. "
- "Loss of the right to vote or stand for election may be imposed only following adjudication by a court of law and, in some countries, must be the basis of a separate judicial proceeding."
- "The law may regulate the exercise of the rights and opportunities referred to in the preceding paragraph [right to participate in government] only on the basis of age, nationality, residence, language, education, civil... capacity or sentencing by a competent court in criminal proceedings."
- "Reasonable restrictions [on voting] have included distinctions based on age, citizenship, residency..."
- "Reasonable restrictions may include factors such as residence, citizenship, convicted persons in legal detention, and those considered mentally incapacitated by the courts."
- "Universal suffrage means in principle that all human beings have the right to vote and to stand for election. This right may, however, and indeed should, be subject to certain conditions."
- "State reports should indicate whether any groups, such as permanent residents, enjoy [the right to register] on a limited basis, for example, by having the right to vote in local elections or to hold office."
- "A residency requirement has been upheld by the European Commission on Human Rights, for a number of reasons: the assumption that a non-resident citizen is less directly involved or knowledgeable; the impracticability for candidates to present electoral issues to citizens abroad; the need to prevent electoral fraud, the risk of which is increased by postal voting; and finally, the link between representation and the obligation to pay taxes."
- "Residency requirements may discriminate against national minorities. Residence may operate in a discriminatory way against refugees or internally displaced persons. Internally displaced persons should be able to exercise their right to vote; where possible, refugees should enjoy some facility to vote."
- "Reasonable restrictions may include factors such as residence, citizenship, current incarceration or having been convicted of a crime"
- "[T]he following measure prescribed by law or regulations would not be considered discriminatory: measures establishing a reasonable period which must elapse before naturalized persons may exercise their political rights, provided that they are combined with a liberal naturalization policy."
- "Persons who are otherwise eligible to stand for election should not be excluded by unreasonable or discriminatory requirements such as …residence or descent."
- "A country...may...permit noncitizen residents to vote."
- "Discrimination need not be deliberate. It may arise unintentionally. A neutral criterion may operate in certain circumstances in a discriminatory way. For example, residence is a common requirement for eligibility to vote in a constituency based electoral system. That requirement may however operate in a discriminatory way in respect of refugees (meaning citizens or permanent residents of the State who have fled abroad), nomadic peoples or internally displaced persons. Residency requirements may discriminate against national minorities."
- "Reasonable requirements are usually limited to minimum age, nationality ... The work of the Human Rights Committee provides a good deal of guidance on the limits of reasonable restrictions. In the course of their deliberations, as mandated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, members of the Committee have noted that the following limitations on voting rights are not permissible: (b) excessive residency requirements."
- "Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: (b) To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors."
- "Distinctions between those who are entitled to citizenship by birth and those who acquire it by naturalization may raise questions of compatibility with article 25."
- "The right to participate in public affairs is the only human right which applies to citizens of a state only as opposed to being universal and applicable to any person subject to the authority of a state in which they happen to be…. It is, however, required that citizenship be defined in law respecting the right to non-discrimination….Within the legitimate limitation of citizenship, the principle of inclusiveness or ‘universality’ should be a primary objective."
- "Reasonable requirements are usually limited to minimum age, nationality..."
- "Voting rights should be based on considerations that include: citizenship; legal age of majority (this may differ from country to country); residency requirements; any other additional grounds for disqualification (eg, prisoners in detention, persons with a criminal record... and so on)."
- "Women shall be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies, established by national law, on equal terms with men, without any discrimination."
- "States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: b) women are represented equally at all levels with men in all electoral processes."
- "Every citizen shall enjoy the following rights and opportunities: (a) to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "Every citizen has the right: 3. To stand for election... 4. To the opportunity to gain access, on an equal footing with others, to public office in his country in accordance with the principle of equality of opportunity."
- "Every citizen should have equal legal possibilities to propose him/herself as a candidate in elections."
- "Article 25 of the Covenant recognizes and protects the rights of every citizen to take part in the conduct of public affairs…. Whatever form of constitution or government is in force, the Covenant requires States to adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to ensure that citizens have an effective opportunity to enjoy the rights it protects."
- "To ensure that the will of the people serves as the basis of the authority of government, the participating states will: (7.5) respect the right of citizens to seek political or public office, individually or as representatives of political parties or organizations, without discrimination."
- "The right to be elected does not mean that all citizens would have a subjective right to become a member of an elected body. Rather it means that all citizens that qualify under the provisions of the law should have not only the right but also the opportunity to stand as a candidate."
- "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country and shall have an equal opportunity to become a candidate for election. The criteria for participation in government shall be determined in accordance with national constitutions and laws and shall not be inconsistent with the State's international obligations."
- "International human rights law explicitly proclaims the right of citizens to equal access to public office."
- "All candidates who wish to run should be able to do so."
- "The nomination process has been a vulnerable stage in election preparation. Prospective candidates have been prevented from submitting their nomination papers due to violence, procedural deficiencies and inadequate role of the courts...it is therefore recommended that technical requirements/rules should be kept to the absolute minimum."
- "The right to vote and to be voted for should be accepted as a birth right in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women."
- "SADC Member States shall adhere to the following principles in the conduct of democratic elections: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for."
- "The participating States consider that the presence of observers, both foreign and domestic, can enhance the electoral process for States in which elections are taking place."
- "No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security of public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."
- "In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in article 2 of this Convention, States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, color, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights: (d) Other civil rights, in particular: (ix)The right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association."
- "1. State Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly. 2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of these rights other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."
- "Every individual shall have the right to free association provided that he abides by the law."