Although it is fashionable among some scholars and commentators to point to the decline of political parties, there is little doubt that they still have a fundamentally important role in modern elections. The regulation of parties, together with the regulation of candidates (who are often, though not always, nominated by parties), is therefore a topic of vital significance.
The central objective of the files in this section is to give guidance about practical questions 1, relating to the regulation of parties and candidates, such as:
- How is campaign finance in other countries regulated, overseen, etc.?
- Are there any laws pertaining to foreign firms making contributions to a campaign?
- What are the rules and regulations, as well as pros and cons, of giving free air time to presidential candidates?
- How do you ensure government neutrality in an election, including equal access to government-controlled media?
- What are political party and media codes of conduct?
This section will also address even include broader matters, such as:
- Are there supranational standards in elections and democracy?
- What is the role of elections in a democracy?
Four introductory points should be made about such questions and the way they are addressed in the section of this guide on Parties and Candidates:
First, while it is hoped that the files will be useful to legislators, party officials, and electoral observers, they should also be relevant to scholars and students. It is not until scholars appreciate the practical realities of democratic government that they are in a position to make authoritative academic and theoretical judgements.
Second, while some practical questions are capable of technical answers, many of them raise questions about underlying values and political theories. For instance, the question in the above list about 'equal access' to government-controlled media raises the question of what is the meaning of 'equal'? For a thorough discussion of the principles underlying party and candidate regulation, see Guiding Principles, Level Playing Field, Fairness, Freedom of Speech, Controlling Fraud, Corruption and Unfair Practices, Political Participation, Encouraging Internal Party Democracy, Ensuring Openness, Transparency, Accountability, and Checks and Balances.
Third, in general, the files in this section will not aim to put forward definitive opinions about what constitutes 'good practice.' Many of the issues under consideration are too controversial for that. Instead, the broad aim is to provide a range of options, with examples of each.
Fourth, competitive elections are contests held according to laws and rules. It is essential that all (or virtually all) of the main candidates and parties should feel able to accept these rules. If a significant political party, candidate, or faction feels, and has good reason to feel, that the laws and rules are unreasonable, then it is less likely to accept the results of the election. Political stability will suffer. An understanding of the problems and options relating to the regulation of political parties and candidates is thus likely to contribute to the quality of democracy.
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