I. Functioning of democratic institutions

Constitution

• Protection of children's rights: international standards and domestic institutions CDL-AD(2014)005
• Stocktaking on the notion of “good governance” and “good administration” CDL-AD(2011)009
• Constitutional provisions on amendments of the constitution CDL-AD(2010)001
• Constitutional implications of the ratification of the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) CDL-INF(2001)001

Rule of Law

• Updated Rule of Law Checklist CDL-AD(2025)002
• Rule of Law Checklist CDL-AD(2016)007
• Rule of law - Report CDL-AD(2011)003rev

State formation

• Settlement of ethno-political conflicts CDL-INF(2000)016
• Self-determination and secession in constitutional law CDL-INF(2000)002
• Consequences of state succession on citizenship CDL-NAT(1996)008rev

Federalism 

• Bicameralism - Report CDL-AD(2024)007
• Federated and regional entities and international treaties CDL-INF(2000)003
• Federal and regional state CDL-INF(1997)005

Parliament

• Term Limits: Part II - Members of Parliament; Part III - Representatives and executive officials elected at sub national and local level - CDL-AD(2019)007
• Exclusion of offenders from parliament CDL-AD(2015)036
• Scope and lifting of parliamentary immunities CDL-AD(2014)011
• Democracy, limitation of mandates and incompatibility of political functions CDL-AD(2012)027rev
• Role of the opposition in a democratic Parliament CDL-AD(2010)025
• Women’s representation in political systems CDL-AD(2009)029
• Imperative mandate CDL-AD(2009)027
• Right of legislative initiative CDL-AD(2008)035 
• Role of Extra-Institutional Actors in the Democratic System (Lobbying) CDL-AD(2013)011

Executive

• Term Limits - Part I - Presidents CDL-AD(2018)010
• Relationship between political and criminal ministerial responsibility CDL-AD(2013)001

Judiciary

• Restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of association of judges CDL-AD(2015)018
• Implementation of international human rights treaties in domestic law and the role of courts CDL-AD(2014)036
• Independence of the judicial system – Part I (judges) CDL-AD(2010)004
• Independence of the judicial system – Part II (the prosecution service) CDL-AD(2010)040
• Judicial appointments CDL-AD(2007)028
• Remedies to excessive length of proceedings CDL-AD(2006)036rev
• Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights CDL-AD(2002)034 

Constitutional justice

• Individual access to constitutional justice CDL-AD(2021)001 
• Separate opinions of constitutional courts CDL-AD(2018)030rev
• Execution of constitutional court decisions CDL-INF(2001)009
• Composition of constitutional courts CDL-STD(1997)020

Ombudsman

• Principles on the protection and promotion of the ombudsman institution - "The Venice Principles" CDL-AD(2019)005

II. Protection of fundamental rights

Security, terrorism and human rights

• Democratic oversight of signals intelligence agencies CDL-AD(2015)011
• Democratic oversight of the security services CDL-AD(2015)010
• Counter-terrorism measures and human rights CDL-AD(2010)022
• Private military and security firms and erosion of the state monopoly on the use of force CDL-AD(2009)038
• Civilian command authority over armed forces CDL-AD(2008)004
• Democratic oversight of the security sector in member states CDL-AD(2007)016
• Video-surveillance in public places CDL-AD(2007)014
• Human rights in emergency situations CDL-AD(2006)015
• International legal obligations in respect of secret detention facilities and interstate transport of prisoners CDL-AD(2006)009
• Possible revision of the Geneva Conventions CDL-AD(2003)018

Fundamental freedoms 

• Freedom of peaceful assembly - Guidelines CDL-AD(2019)017rev
• Funding of associations CDL-AD(2019)002
• Freedom of association - Guidelines CDL-AD(2014)046
• Legal personality of religious or belief communities – Guidelines CDL-AD(2014)023
• Blasphemy, religious insults and incitement to religious hatred CDL-AD(2008)026

Minority rights 

• Participation of minorities in public life (“Science and technique of democracy” series, No. 45) CDL-STD(2011)045
• Dual voting for persons belonging to national minorities CDL-AD(2008)013
• Electoral rules and affirmative action for national minorities' participation in decision-making process in European countries CDL-AD(2005)009
• Preferential treatment of kin-minorities by their kin-state CDL-INF(2001)019

Emergency states

• Respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law during states of emergency: reflections - taken note of by the Venice Commission on 19 June 2020 by a written procedure replacing the 123rd plenary session CDL-AD(2020)014

III. Elections, referendums and political parties

Code of good practice in electoral matters and its interpretative declarations 

• Code of good practice in electoral matters CDL-AD(2002)023rev2-cor
• Stability of the electoral law – revised interpretative declaration CDL-AD(2024)027
• Women's participation in elections – interpretative declaration CDL-AD(2006)020
• Participation of persons with disabilities in elections – interpretative declaration CDL-AD(2011)045
• Publication of lists of voters having participated in elections - interpretative declaration CDL-AD(2016)028
• Digital technologies and artificial intelligence - interpretative declaration CDL-AD(2024)044

Electoral process

Synthesis documents 

• Electoral law and electoral administration in Europe – synthesis study on recurrent challenges and problematic issues CDL-AD(2020)023, CDL-AD(2006)018 
• Measures to improve the democratic nature of elections in Council of Europe member states CDL-AD(2012)005
• Timeline and inventory of political criteria for assessing an election CDL-AD(2010)037
• Europe's electoral heritage CDL(2002)007rev

Specific issues

• Urgent Report on the cancellation of election results by Constitutional Courts CDL-AD(2025)003
• Cancellation of election results CDL-AD(2009)054
• Election dispute resolution CDL-AD(2020)025 
• Recall of mayors and local elected representatives CDL-AD(2019)011rev   
• Term Limits: Part I - Presidents CDL-AD(2018)010
• Term Limits: Part II - Members of Parliament; Part III - Representatives and executive officials elected at sub national and local level CDL-AD(2019)007
• Preventing and responding to the misuse of administrative resources during electoral processes: Report CDL-AD(2013)033; Guidelines: CDL-AD(2016)004
• Democracy, limitation of mandates and incompatibility of political functions CDL-AD(2012)027rev
• Imperative mandate and similar practices CDL-AD(2009)027
• Choosing the date of an election CDL-AD(2007)037

Electoral systems

• Constituency delineation and seat allocation CDL-AD(2017)034
• Proportional electoral systems: the allocation of seats inside the lists (open/closed lists) CDL-AD(2015)001
• Thresholds and other features of electoral systems which bar parties from access to Parliament – comparative report (I) CDL-AD(2008)037 and report (II) CDL-AD(2010)007
• Electoral systems – overview of available solutions and selection criteria CDL-AD(2004)003

Digital technologies

• Principles for a fundamental rights-compliant use of digital technologies in electoral processes CDL-AD(2020)037
• Digital technologies and elections CDL-AD(2019)016

Right to vote 

• Voters residing de facto abroad CDL-AD(2015)040
• Out-of-country voting CDL-AD(2011)022
• Abolition of restrictions on the right to vote in general elections CDL-AD(2005)011 and CDL-AD(2005)012
• Remote voting and electronic voting – compatibility with the standards of the Council of Europe CDL-AD(2004)012

Affirmative action and similar measures

Women 

• Impact of electoral systems on women’s representation in politics CDL-AD(2009)029
• Declaration on women’s participation in elections CDL-AD(2006)020

National minorities 

• Dual voting for persons belonging to national minorities CDL-AD(2008)013
• Electoral rules and affirmative action for national minorities’ participation in decision-making process in European countries CDL-AD(2005)009
• Electoral law and national minorities CDL-INF(2000)004

Referendums

• Revised Code of good practice on referendums CDL-AD(2022)015
• Referendums in Europe – an analysis of the legal rules in European States CDL-AD(2005)034
• Tables summarising the replies to the questionnaire on referendums CDL-AD(2005)034add
• Tables summarising the replies to the questionnaire on local and regional referendums CDL-AD(2005)034add2  

Political parties

• Guidelines on political party regulation - Second edition CDL-AD(2020)032  
• Method of nomination of candidates in political parties CDL-AD(2015)020
• Political party regulation - Guidelines CDL-AD(2010)024
• Code of Good Practice in the Field of Political Parties CDL-AD(2009)021
• Prohibition of financial contributions to political parties from foreign sources CDL-AD(2006)014
• Participation of political parties in elections CDL-AD(2006)025
• Legislation on political parties: some specific issues - Guidelines and explanatory report CDL-AD(2004)007rev
• Financing of political parties - Guidelines and report CDL-INF(2001)008
• Prohibition and dissolution of political parties and analogous measures - Guidelines CDL-INF(2000)001

Election observation and assessment 

• Report on election observers as human rights defenders CDL-AD(2024)039
• Identification of electoral irregularities by statistical methods CDL-AD(2018)009
• Declaration of Global Principles for non-partisan election observation and monitoring by citizen organizations and Code of Conduct for non-partisan citizen election observers and monitors -  Initiated by the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) CDL-AD(2012)018
• Timeline and inventory of political criteria for assessing an election CDL-AD(2010)037
• Figure based management of possible election fraud CDL-AD(2010)043
• Guidelines on an internationally recognised status of election observers CDL-AD(2009)059
• Guidelines on Media Analysis during Election Observation Missions CDL-AD(2009)031
• Internationally recognised status of election observers - Summary of Recommendations CDL-AD(2009)026
• Internationally recognised status of election observers - report CDL-AD(2009)020rev
• Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers and Pledge to accompany the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers prepared by the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), and the Carter Center (TCC) CDL-AD(2005)036
• Election Evaluation Guide CDL-AD(2006)021
• Election Observation Form CDL-AD(2005)013

Glossary

• Electoral Glossary: English – French CDL-PI(2020)021-bil