As part of the 69th meeting of the Venice Commission’s Council for Democratic Elections, which took place online on 7 October 2020, Jos Wienen (EPP/CCE, Netherlands) and Stewart Dickson (ILDG, United Kingdom), Thematic Spokespersons of the Congress on electoral matters, presented the new report on local and regional elections in major crisis situations.
“Each country faces this major challenge in its own way and that is normal,” stated Mr. Dickson explaining different approaches of countries in times of pandemic. “The present report makes clear that it is the minimum core of fundamental principles of democratic elections that have to be respected in all circumstances,” he added.
Alternative methods like postal voting or sanitary and social distancing measures on the Election Day are highlighted in the report. In this regard, it is also underlined that related risks can only be mitigated and not entirely eliminated. In addition, “any widespread measures to overcome the challenges need to be carefully planned and sufficient funding is required. A temporary postponement may be therefore under certain circumstances the most responsible decision,” the Rapporteur explained.
The report also refers to difficulties in observing elections during the current pandemic due to travel restrictions, quarantine measures and health risks. The Congress election observation mission to Serbia in spring 2020 had to be cancelled, while the Congress mission in view of the local elections in Ukraine scheduled for 25 October will be conducted through remote meetings with stakeholders. This approach finds support in the report which identifies alternative strategies of temporary nature to continue limited observation activities and maintain dialog with local interlocutors.
Informing the Council for Democratic Elections about the upcoming Congress report on local referendums, which will be presented in February 2021, Mr Dickson stressed the importance of referendums organised at the grassroots level for resolving issues which are of fundamental importance for peoples’ everyday lives. “The conduct of local referendums is very much under-regulated compared to national referendums. Therefore, our report seeks to fill this gap and adapt the existing standards to the local level, in particular the revised Guidelines of the Venice Commission”, he concluded.
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