Summary
Elections are to be held at periodic intervals.
Obligations
Election Parts
Criteria
Quotes
- The Parties hereto proceed from the assumption that elections of the elective bodies of state power, local self-governments, other bodies of people’s (national) representation, elective officials are compulsory and they are carried out in terms fixed by the constitutions and laws.
- To vote and 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 voter.
- State Parties shall strive to institutionalize good political governance through: (7) Organising regular, free and fair elections.
- All the elections shall be organized on the dates or at periods fixed by the Constitution or the electoral laws.
- Every citizen shall enjoy the following rights: b. to vote and to be elected in genuine periodic elections, which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and by secret ballot that guarantees the free expression of the will of the voters.
- The High Contracting Parties undertake to hold free elections at reasonable intervals by secret ballot, under conditions which will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people in the choice of the legislature.
- State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: 4. Holding of regular, transparent, free and fair elections.
- At the very least, elections must be held often enough to ensure that governmental authority continues to reflect the Will of the People, which…is the basis of governmental legitimacy.
- As regards, in particular, the choice of electoral system, the Court reiterates that the Contracting States enjoy a wide margin of appreciation in this sphere. In that regard, Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 goes no further than prescribing “free” elections held at “reasonable intervals”, “by secret ballot” and “under conditions which will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people”. Subject to that reservation, it does not create any “obligation to introduce a specific system” such as proportional representation or majority voting with one or two ballots (see Mathieu-Mohin and Clerfayt, cited above, § 54).
- [Consider] signing and ratifying or acceding to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other core international human rights treaties.
- At the beginning of the new century and millennium, we reaffirm our commitment to the promotion of democracy and its core values in our respective countries. In particular, we undertake to work with renewed determination to enforce the inalienable right of the individual to participate by means of free, credible and democratic political processes in periodically electing their leaders for a fixed term of office.
- Democracy requires, in particular, the holding, at regular intervals, of free, fair and transparent elections, based on the respect and exercise, without any hindrance or discrimination, of the right to freedom and physical integrity for every voter and every candidate, the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, especially through the press and other communications media, freedom of assembly and demonstration, and freedom of association.
- To ensure that the will of the people serves as the basis of the authority of government, the participating States will (7.1) hold elections at reasonable intervals, as established by law.
- Essential elements of representative democracy include, inter alia, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, access to and the exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law, the holding of periodic, free, and fair elections based on secret balloting and universal suffrage as an expression of the sovereignty of the people, the pluralistic system of political parties and organizations, and the separation of powers and independence of the branches of government.
- Every citizen has the right to vote in periodic and genuine elections, which should be by universal and equal suffrage and by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors, in accordance with national law.
- The participating States declare that the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government.
- The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
- Regular elections constitute a key element of the democratization process and therefore, are essential ingredients for good governance, the rule of law, the maintenance and promotion of peace, security, stability and development.
- Democracy requires, in particular, the holding, at regular intervals, of free, fair and transparent elections, based on the respect and exercise, without any hindrance or discrimination, of the right to freedom and physical integrity for every voter and every candidate, the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, especially through the press and other communications media, freedom of assembly and demonstration, and freedom of association.
- While no particular schedule of periodicity is set by the instruments, general limitations on discretion are discernible. At the very least, elections must be held often enough to ensure that governmental authority continues to reflect the will of the people, which, as already noted, is the basis of governmental authority.
- Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the ECHR states that “(t)he High Contracting Parties undertake to hold free elections at reasonable intervals by secret ballot, under conditions which will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people in the choice of the legislature”. It does not deal with the vote of citizens abroad in particular.
- Elections must be held at regular intervals; a legislative assembly's term of office must not exceed five years.
- Both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights provide that elections must be held periodically. General elections are usually held at four- or five-yearly intervals, while longer periods are possible for presidential elections, although the maximum should be seven years.
- Elections must be held at regular intervals; a legislative assembly’s term of office must not exceed five years.
- Elections must not only be regular, but they must also be held at reasonable intervals. In most constitutions, elections are held from between 2 to 5 years.
- The requirement that elections be held periodically is expressly stated in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 21, para. 3) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (art. 25b). The importance of this provision should not be minimized. Once-only elections (for instance, at the time of the country's gaining independence, or of its transition from an authoritarian regime) will not suffice for international human rights purposes. Rather, this provision makes clear the requirement of a sustained democratic order, continually answerable to the will of the people. (72) While no particular schedule of periodicity is set by the instruments, general limitations on discretion are discernible. At the very least, elections must be held often enough to ensure that governmental authority continues to reflect the will of the people, which, as already noted, is the basis of governmental legitimacy.