Projekte

Kurzbeschreibung:

Projektziel

The project's overall objective is to support the implementation of electoral recommendations in five thematic areas in the Western Balkans. Through the provision of in-depth, targeted technical assistance, capacity building on the implementation of electoral recommendations at the bilateral and regional level, and raised awareness on electoral reforms, the project aims to bring the conduct of elections closer in line with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.

Erwartete Ergebnisse

The project builds on five mutually reinforcing outputs:

1: Enhanced effectiveness of election management bodies to conduct elections in a professional, politically impartial, and transparent manner.

2: Increased accuracy of voter lists and voter registration, including through effective co-ordination with existing population registers and meaningful consultation of voter lists for all electoral stakeholders.

3: Improved knowledge and capacity of media regulatory bodies to regulate and monitor media conduct during elections, thereby contributing to a pluralistic and fair campaign environment.

4: Enhanced election campaign rules and practice to allow parties and candidates to freely present their views without administrative action, violence or intimidation, with campaign finance disclosure and enforcement mechanisms promoting increased transparency and accountability.

5: Improved capacity and independence of electoral dispute resolution bodies, including the election administration and courts, to effectively adjudicate election disputes, thereby contributing to electoral integrity, public confidence in the election process, and the rule of law.

Zielgruppe

This project supports the implementation of the recommendations of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and EU electoral observation activities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo*. It will support 1080 direct local beneficiaries in five thematic areas (election administration, voter registration, campaign and campaign finance, media coverage of elections and electoral disputes resolution).

Maßnahmen

The activities have five main components: topical workshops, in-depth legal and technical assistance, monitoring of the implementation of electoral recommendations, exchange of good practice among practitioners at the regional and sub-regional levels, and raising awareness on electoral reforms. The project will work with relevant local and international stakeholders, including parliaments, electoral management bodies, domestic authorities, political parties, citizen election observers and other civil society organizations. It will engage civil society, including citizen election observer groups, and politically underrepresented groups, including women, Roma and Sinti and other national minorities, persons with disabilities, in all activities. It is of fundamental importance that local institutions and organizations take the lead in electoral reform efforts to ensure sustainability and ownership. As several fundamental aspects continue to pose challenges, it is evident that further support needs to be provided for the implementation of electoral recommendations. This includes encouraging political will for reform, supporting sustainable electoral-management capacities, promoting public consultation and inclusion, establishing plans, public reporting and review mechanisms, drawing on local and international expertise, and supporting compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards.

Hintergrundinformation

The Western Balkans have made some progress towards adopting democratic norms and institutions, including with respect to the conduct of democratic elections, also thanks to ODIHR's observation and follow-up activities. There has been a greater engagement and more inclusive dialogue with political stakeholders and civil society in developing and introducing electoral reform, including strengthening the legal frameworks in a manner that is accessible and aspires to respect OSCE commitments and international obligations.

The 2017-2020 Support to Elections in Western Balkans project, funded by the EU and ADA, showed that all thematic areas proposed to be tackled under this project (and thus increasing the number of areas covered under the previous support) are highly relevant for further improving the electoral processes in the region and the coherence and sustainability of results. ODIHR's presence in the Western Balkans has proved to be essential to ensure that the implementation and follow up of electoral recommendations remain high on the political agenda.