Summary
Political parties should be assured that they will be able to compete with each other on an equal basis before the law.
Election Parts
Issues
Criteria
Quotes
- …Provide such political parties and organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities.
- The legal framework should ensure that all political parties are able to compete with each other on the basis of equal treatment before the law.
- All candidates, parties and political organizations that wish to run for office should be able to do and to compete on the basis of equal treatment under the law and by the authorities.
- State authorities should remain neutral in dealing with the process of establishment, registration (where applied) and activities of political parties and refrain from any measures that could privilege some political forces and discriminate others. All political parties should be given equal opportunities to participate in elections.
- All political forces and movements should be able to nominate and field candidates freely and on equal terms. Any arbitrary or discriminatory practices, for the purpose of disqualifying or undermining certain candidates or political forces contravene OSCE commitments.
- In summary, the commitments require states to: respect the right to establish political parties, and ensure that the parties can compete on the basis of equal treatment before the law and the authorities.
- All contestants should have an equal period of time in which to campaign.
- Parties and their supporters shall be able to assemble freely and communicate the party views, and their opinions shall not be summarily blocked from receiving balanced media coverage, especially by state-run media.
- All political parties and candidates must be able to compete in elections with each other on the basis of equal treatment before the law. In addition, the law and official policies should create a level playing field for all political parties and candidates involved in the electoral processes.
- The rights of opposition parties have to be effectively protected in parliament.