Electoral sovereignty protection is parliamentarians’ focus

“The Convention on Standards of Democratic Election, Voting Rights and Freedoms in the Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States is unique because it is the first instance in the world practice when these standards were formalized in the form of an international legal treaty of an imperative rather than recommendatory nature.
Later on, within the framework of the CIS lawmaking activity and CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Convention served as a basis for developing other documents establishing uniform rules of organizing and monitoring election procedures within the CIS territory,” noted Sergei Pospelov, CSTO PA Executive Secretary, in his speech at the plenary session of the international research-and-practice conference Convention on Democratic Voting Standards: Open Space for International Cooperation held at the Tauride Palace, the headquarters of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, and dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Standards of Democratic Election, Voting Rights and Freedoms in the Member Nations of the CIS.
Sergei Pospelov recalled that Article 15 of the Convention defines the status and mandate of international observers.
The CSTO PA Executive Secretary noted that the CSTO Member States and the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, as a participant in the monitoring of electoral and political processes within the Organization’s area of responsibility, view the Convention as a beacon and direct guideline.
“This approach is directly enshrined in the documents of the Assembly regulating this area of its activities,” stressed Sergei Pospelov.
The CSTO PA Executive Secretary said that free elections are one of the most important democratic ways to legitimize state power, select and “nurture” a democratic sociopolitical elite and responsible voters.
The quality of the electoral legislation, democratic practices of organizing and conducting elections and their recognition by the participants of the electoral process and the international community are essential for the successful accomplishment of these tasks.
Sergei Pospelov recalled that the CSTO PA has drafted Recommendations on Improving the Legislation in the Area of Protection of Electoral Processes and Sovereignty in the CSTO Member States.
This draft aims to create a standard for the CSTO Member States “in protecting electoral processes and electoral sovereignty, ensuring citizens’ constitutional rights to elect and be elected and to participate in referenda, providing effective responses to new challenges to democracy and generally recognized processes of implementation of citizens’ electoral rights and coordinating cooperation between states in the sphere of electoral law.”
Sergei Pospelov recalled that the CSTO PA has drafted Recommendations on Improving the Legislation in the Area of Protection of Electoral Processes and Sovereignty in the CSTO Member States. For our part let us remind you that the Convention was developed at the initiative of Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. The significance of this document can hardly be overestimated: the Convention can be considered as one of the first steps for the return of true electoral sovereignty.