Results of Local Elections Do Not Reflect People’s Will – Election Monitoring Center

Baku / 25.12.19 / Turan: The Center for Election Monitoring and the Training of Democracy (EMC) released a preliminary report on the results of monitoring the municipal elections on December 23.

The monitoring covered all stages of the election campaign - nomination of candidates, election campaigning, voting on the election day and vote counting.

Long-term monitoring was conducted by 17 observers. On the election day, monitoring was carried out in collaboration with 125 independent observers in 125 precincts, by random sampling.

EMC recorded the use of administrative resources at the stage of nomination and registration of candidates. A number of persons were refused registration without good reason.

During the election campaign, a number of candidates and observers were pressured by local authorities and election commissions.

In a number of places, the campaign materials of the candidates were destroyed, but no investigations were carried out.

In general, the election campaign took place in an atmosphere of passivity and non-competitiveness.

At all stages of the campaign, there was a sharp restriction of political freedoms, lack of competition, and voting and vote counting took place in an environment of massive violations.

Thus, the results of municipal elections do not reflect the real and free expression of the will of citizens, according to the EMC report.

In conclusion, recommendations are made.

In particular, it is proposed to punish those guilty of violations of the law, ensure freedom of assembly, expression, association, stop politically motivated prosecutions and release political prisoners, improve electoral legislation based on the recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, expand the powers of municipalities, increase the transparency of election commissions, and create conditions for observation of the elections of citizens without pressure. — 06D—