The political and electoral process would benefit from the development of more comprehensive, feasible and viable procedures for verifying campaign financing
and expenditure.

A campaign silence period immediately before election day should be considered to give voters time to reflect on their choice. Also, campaigning should be
forbidden on election day around polling stations, and candidates should be responsible for any infringements.

Clear guidelines should be adopted by the SCER in relation to the mechanism for monitoring campaign financing.

The SCER and the public prosecutor should enforce compliance by all State agencies with the legal provisions that prohibit the use of State resources in favour of any campaigns. The SCER should develop guidelines for the conduct of State officials and employees during an election campaign to refrain from political activity. The Chiefs of Staff of the military and police should issue orders to their personnel not to display political support during their official duties, when in uniform, in official vehicles or at their stations.

Political parties and associated groups should make a real commitment to end the culture of coercive campaigning and ensure their campaigns reflect the provisions of the Code of Conduct and allow voters freedom of choice in whom to vote for.

The system for campaign spending should be reviewed as it is inadequate. Consideration should be given to placing a ceiling on spending and introducing an appropriate and transparent system for public accountability in campaign spending. To complement their annual financial reports the political parties should submit accounts of their donations and spending on a bi-weekly basis to a relevant authority for the duration of the campaign period ensuring maximum transparency.

Toda la información presentada ante CNE por partidos políticos y movimientos acerca de sus gastos de campaña debería ser pública. Asimismo, sería positivo que se apruebe una normativa común sobre el financiamiento de partidos y movimientos políticos.

Las infracciones a las leyes y a las regulaciones de la campaña electoral deberían ser más detalladas y estar sujetas a sanciones efectivas y proporcionales. En particular, la ley debería prever un rango apropiado de acciones disciplinarias.

Essential - The ruling party should cease to use state resources to its benefit during the campaign.
Addressed to - Gov.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Correcting measures should include not giving holidays to government employees to attend party events and a moratorium on inaugurating new projects during the campaign period.
Timeline - To start over the next six months.

Within the context of Rwanda’s history, the aim to create an environment conducive to open political debate should continue to guide the legislative process accompanying the democratic evolution of the country.

The system for campaign spending should be reviewed as it is inadequate. Consideration should be given to placing a ceiling on spending and introducing an appropriate and transparent system for public accountability in campaign spending. Them political parties should submit accounts of their donations and spending on a regular basis to a relevant authority for the duration of the campaign period ensuring maximum transparency.

Financial resources play a disproportionate role in election campaigning in Lebanon and current regulations and enforcement are inadequate. Campaign spending regulations should be further detailed and practices which could be viewed as conducive to vote-buying shouldn be limited, including the private sponsorship of travel to Lebanon for expatriate citizens.

It would be useful for the election law to stipulate a limited campaign period prior to election day. Currently, candidates may begin campaigning as soon as they are registered and in practice campaigning often starts before this. A prescribed time limit for campaigns would contribute to a level-playing field and would help to maintain voter’s interest and motivation to participate.

Essential - Guarantees for freedom of expression, assembly and movement.
Addressed to - Legislative Branch; CNE.
Possible Improvements Suggested - According to International standards, the full enjoyment of rights protected by article 25 of the ICCPR requires freedom to debate public affairs, hold peaceful demonstrations, and meetings, criticize and oppose, public political material, campaign for election and advertises political ideas.
The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognised. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedom of others.
According to best international practice, the campaign is regulated by law and or administrative regulations that ensure equal opportunity for all candidates and political parties to campaign freely without unreasonable restriction.
Timeline - In time for the next elections.

Essential - The NEC should ensure from the beginning of the campaign sufficient use of free airtime among candidates to allow them to accurately communicate their political program to the electorate. The innovation of the new franjas electorales could be enlarged to cover all the campaign period.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - NEC regulations.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - A clear distinction must be drawn between the state and its activities on one hand, and the election contenders and their campaign on the other. This distinction must be fully observed in the conduct of the campaign in order to avoid the violation of equality of opportunities among the contestants.
Addressed to - Incumbent Candidates.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - In line with the provisions of the 2008 Constitution (article 115) and the 2009 Election Law (article 207) that forbid state institutions to advertise for electoral campaigning, it would be advisable that the Election Law would define exactly what is considered campaigning during an electoral period.
Addressed to - National Assembly; NEC; EDT.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Amendment to the Election Law.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - At least two years before the next electoral cycle.

Il est nécessaire d'amorcer une réflexion sur la mise en place un système de contribution publique au financement de l’activité des partis politiques sur base du nombre de suffrages obtenus.

Il importe d’établir un mode de contribution publique au financement des campagnes électorales qui soit réaliste et adapté. Il pourrait être basé, par exemple, sur un remboursement partiel des frais de campagne sur base des résultats obtenus. L’instauration d’un mode de financement public des campagnes électorales ouvre également la possibilité de sanctionner effectivement les dépassements de plafonds éventuels.

La durée de la campagne électorale devrait être allongée d’une à deux semaines supplémentaires.

The length of the election campaign could be reduced to a period of four to six weeks to better optimise the resources available for political parties to engage in campaign activities.

Essentielles - Garantir l’immunité provisoire pour les candidats pendant la période électorale (voir plaintes et recours).
Dirigées à - Partis politiques, CENI, Etat burundais; Partis politiques

Essentielles - La MOE UE a observé que malgré l’interdiction formelle de l’utilisation des biens de l’Etat à des fins de propagande, les partis politiques au Gouvernement ont fait recours aux biens de l’Etat pour des fins de campagne. Cette pratique n’a pas été sanctionnée par les instances habilitées. Il est nécessaire que les partis politiques respectent les dispositions légales. Au cas où ces dispositions sont violées, il revient aux instances habilitées d’appliquer les sanctions prévues (voir cadre juridique).
Dirigées à - Partis politiques, CENI, Etat burundais; Partis politiques

The law should specify the time of submission of the campaign schedule and the criteria for getting the permission for a campaign event, giving precedence to the political party who submitted its schedule first.

The requirement to submit a financial report on campaign income and expenditures should be enforced as well as consideration of establishing ceilings for campaign expenditures of the parties and candidates. To these ends the Parliamentary Election Act should be amended to include adequate provisions to ensure transparency and a level playing field in the finances of the parties.