PACE rules out elections in Ukraine

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) confirmed that elections cannot be held under conditions of martial law and called for continued support for Ukraine to ensure safe and inclusive voting as soon as conditions allow.

This is stated in the resolution "Elections in times of crisis," which was supported at the PACE session in Strasbourg by 100 delegates (6 abstained), CE Report quotes Ukrinform.

"The Assembly reaffirms that, under international democratic standards, elections cannot be held under martial law," the text states, with the authors referring to previous PACE resolutions.

Among the most serious challenges to rights, freedoms, and the functioning of democratic institutions, PACE highlights Russia's full-scale war.

"Crises, and the State responses they require, can have profound implications for rights and freedoms, as well as for the functioning of democratic institutions. The Covid-19 pandemic, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and, most severely, the full-scale war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, have all placed extraordinary pressure on Council of Europe member States, requiring exceptional measures to uphold democratic processes," the document explains.

The Assembly notes that electoral processes are increasingly taking place in a "persistent context of risk and vulnerability" due to polarization, disinformation, foreign interference, cyberattacks, and the consequences of conflicts. In this regard, PACE calls on member states to update electoral legislation, ensure transparency in decisions on possible election postponements, strengthen cyber protection, and develop strategies to counter disinformation.

PACE also insists on an urgent review of approaches to national security and election protection in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine and hybrid threats against Council of Europe member states.

At the same time, the Assembly calls for support for states affected by prolonged conflicts or emergency situations, with special attention to Ukraine, in order to ensure the holding of "secure, inclusive and credible elections to be conducted in line with European and international standards as soon as conditions permit."

As reported, the Central Election Commission proposes establishing a six-month preparatory or transitional period after the termination of martial law and before the start of the electoral process.