The Execution Department has issued a new Thematic Factsheet on the right to free elections. This right, guaranteed under Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights, is crucial to establishing and maintaining the foundations of an effective and meaningful democracy governed by the rule of law and is accordingly of prime importance to the Convention system. Furthermore, the Court has established that the right to free elections also implies individual rights, including the right to vote and to stand for election.
The present factsheet provides examples of general and individual measures reported by States in the context of the execution of the European Court's judgments concerning: the adoption of legislative measures to ensure voting rights; restrictions on the right to vote; prisoners' voting rights; electoral registration of candidate members of parliament (MPs) and of political parties; and regulation of electoral disputes including effective remedies.
The following Thematic Factsheets have been earlier issued by the Execution Department: Constitutional matters, Effective investigations, Freedom of religion, Environment, Independence and impartiality of the Judicial System, Children's rights, Freedom of expression, Conditions of detention, LGBTI persons' rights, Freedom of assembly and association, Migration and asylum, Roma and Travellers, Domestic violence, Protection of property, Personal data protection, Reopening of domestic judicial proceedings, Hate crime and hate speech.
