Promoting and defending democracy: the work of domestic election observer groups around the world
Abstract
Democracy is about far more than elections. However, the holding of transparent, accountable and credible elections is an important cornerstone of the democratic process in any country, and domestic election observers can make a significant contribution in this process. Furthermore, these groups that often represent a broad coalition of civil society organisations can also work to promote and defend democracy in their respective countries before and after the electoral process itself. This publication wishes to highlight the work done by domestic observers around the world, both in terms of their scrutiny of and support to the electoral process, and in their striving to deepen and consolidate the wider democratic process. As will become evident while reading these chapters, the challenges facing domestic observers – be they in Africa, Asia, Europe or Latin America – are immense, varied and complex. It is to the credit of civil society groups like those presented in the publication, that they have the skill and imagination to meet all these challenges in their respective countries.Type
BookISBN
9163172836Copyright/License
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CANCELLATION OF ELECTION RESULTS"Les élections sont la pierre angulaire d’une démocratie. Ainsi, y a-t-il d’autres occasions pour que politique et droit se rencontrent ou que politique et judiciaire se rencontrent ? Mais revenons aux origines, à savoir l’expression d’un choix par tous et une loi garantissant la liberté du processus électoral. Nous observons une évolution du concept voulant que tout soit régi par la loi. Les lois et codes de bonne conduite doivent ainsi se conformer aux constitutions ; si la constitution et la loi électorale divergent, la constitution l’emporte. Cependant et en entendant plus largement le concept de hiérarchie des normes, il est crucial de développer, au-delà des normes constitutionnelles et organiques, des normes juridiques plus spécifiques et détaillées applicables à un processus tel que le processus électoral. Toujours dans le cadre du processus électoral, la commission électorale, ou un organe équivalent, a une compétence large et n’est pas limitée à ses compétences opérationnelles ; la commission électorale est aussi un organe modérateur. Les tribunaux ne sont pas plus à l’écart du processus électoral que les commissions électorales"
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African Union election observation manualSince the early 1990s, when most African countries returned to multiparty rule, there has been exponential growth in elections in Africa. With the growth in elections has come the development and institutionalisation of election observation activities. In response to the democratic waves on the continent, the African Union (AU), a 54-member Pan-African organisation created in 2002 as a successor organisation to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), has developed norms intended to promote political participation, improve electoral standards and facilitate the consolidation of democracy in Member States. Thus the African Union’s Constitutive Act (2002), the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002), the Africa Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007), and the Guidelines for AU Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions provide the benchmarks for the promotion of democratic elections.
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Communication from the commission on EU election assistance and observationDuring the last decade the process of democratisation has manifested itself in many countries by the holding of multiparty elections for the first time. In some parts of the world, however, there have been clear reversals for democracy as well as dramatic and massive violations of human rights. Nevertheless democracy remains a universally valid system of governance, albeit one which needs to be backed up by constitutionally guaranteed rights so as to prevent apparently democratic elections from giving rise to ‘illiberal democracy’. As Fareed Zakaria notes: “Democracy without constitutional liberalism is not simply inadequate, but dangerous, bringing with it the erosion of liberty, the abuse of power, ethnic divisions, and even war”1.
