Dimension: 7.1.3 Role of public authorities in elections
This dimension concerns the administration of elections by public authorities, which should be impartial, transparent and independent. Public Public All the members of a community in general, regardless of their citizenship status. authorities should observe their duty to remain neutral in the electoral process and guarantee the right of voters to freely form an opinion.
Elections should be administered by an independent electoral management body (EMB) in a transparent, impartial, open and accountable manner. The composition of the EMB, the procedures for the appointment and removal of EMB officials, their duties and responsibilities, and the guarantee that the election process is to be conducted in an independent and impartial manner, should be established in and protected by law.
Public Public All the members of a community in general, regardless of their citizenship status. authorities should ensure that citizens understand the electoral process and that information about elections and candidates is widely available.
See also Dimension 7.2.1: Representation of political diversity.
Aspiring goal
Assess your parliament against this dimension
Assessment criteria
No 1: Neutrality of public authorities
The legal framework guarantees the integrity and transparency of the entire electoral process, including sanctions for electoral fraud. The neutrality of public authorities in the electoral process is ensured by law and in practice.
No 2: Electoral management body (EMB)
An EMB is tasked with ensuring the proper conduct of the electoral process. The EMB operates according to clearly defined and publicly available rules, and enjoys independence of decision-making and action. The EMB carries out its tasks impartially and transparently, and enjoys the trust and respect of the community.
No 3: Access to information about the electoral process
Information about the electoral process is widely available, including as part of civic education programmes. Public authorities ensure that voters are aware of electoral procedures and have access to candidate lists and information. Information is available in the languages that are widely used in the country.
How to complete this assessment
This dimension is assessed against several criteria, each of which should be evaluated separately. For each criterion, select one of the six descriptive grades (Non-existent, Rudimentary, Basic, Good, Very good and Excellent) that best reflects the situation in your parliament, and provide details of the evidence on which this assessment is based.
The evidence for assessment of this dimension could include the following:
- Provisions of the legal framework on the maintenance of the electoral register
- Provisions of the legal framework mandating public authorities to provide civic education and information programmes about the electoral process
- Details of the EMB’s legal authority and rules
- Documents produced by election observers
- Reports and media coverage showing actual practice
Where relevant, provide additional comments or examples that support the assessment.
Sources and further reading
- European Commission for Democracy Democracy The belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is held either by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves. Also, a basic right of citizenship to be exercised under conditions of freedom, equality, transparency and responsibility, with due respect for the plurality of views, and in the interest of the polity. through Law Law A body of rules of action or conduct prescribed by a controlling authority (usually passed by parliament), which has a binding legal force and must be obeyed and followed by citizens, subject to sanctions or legal consequences. Also, the whole body of binding customs, practices or rules of a community prescribed or formally recognized and enforced by a controlling authority. See also: Act of parliament, Bill, Law-making Law-making The legislative process or the act of legislating, i.e. the process by which laws are made. See also: Act of parliament, Law and Legislation Legislation A law or a set of laws that have been passed by parliament. The word is also used to describe the act of making a new law. See also: Act of parliament, Law and Law-making. . and Legislation Legislation A law or a set of laws that have been passed by parliament. The word is also used to describe the act of making a new law. See also: Act of parliament, Law and Law-making. . (Venice Commission), Code of good practice in electoral matters: Guidelines and explanatory report (2002).
- Guy S. Goodwin-Gill, Free and Fair Elections: New expanded edition (2006).
- International Institute for Democracy Democracy The belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is held either by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves. Also, a basic right of citizenship to be exercised under conditions of freedom, equality, transparency and responsibility, with due respect for the plurality of views, and in the interest of the polity. and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), Electoral Justice: The International IDEA Handbook (2010).
- International IDEA, Electoral Management Design: Revised Edition (2014).
- International IDEA, International Obligations for Elections: Guidelines for Legal Frameworks (2014).
- Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), “Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections”, adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 154th session (1994).
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), International Standards and Commitments on the Right to Democratic Elections: A Practical Guide to Democratic Elections: Best Practice (2002).
- United Nations Centre for Human Rights, Human Rights and Elections: A Handbook on the Legal, Technical and Human Rights Aspects of Elections (1994).
Get help with this assessment
The assessment of indicators involves diagnosing and considering strengths and weaknesses, i.e. the things parliament is doing well, and the things it could do better or more effectively, taking into account established good practices that are described in the indicators.
Read the assessment guidance to find out what to consider when conducting an assessment against the Indicators. Find out how to prepare, how to set the objectives of the assessment, how to organize the process, and more. Contact the project partners for expert advice.
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