2022/2154(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas, in recent years, there has been an increase in hate speech promoted by far right groups and parties towards vulnerable communities, including ethnic minorities and migrants; whereas this speech creates a climate of violence and prevents the conditions needed for people to exercise their right to political participation;

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o a (new)

(oa) ensure that suspension of the EU's restrictive measures is conditional upon a real and demonstrable improvement in human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the country concerned; ensure that the organisation of elections is not correlated with the improvement in democracy in the country concerned; carry out an in-depth study of the situation in the country and re-examine its gradual return to the rule of law and democracy before even considering ending sanctions;

Amendment 101 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p

(p) recognise the role of the EU’s election observation missions and highlight the role of the European Parliament in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility; and condemning fake election observation missions;

Amendment 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p

(p) recognise the role of the EU’s election observation missions in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility and bolstering the communications strategy both before and after elections;

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p

(p) recognise the role of the EU’s and OSCE ODIHR election observation missions in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility;

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q

(q) ~~forge a~~continue to support the activities of the Declaration of Principles For International Election Observation community, which includes coalition of democratic countries and multilateral institutions, such as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe, as the main tool for coordination to counter the legitimisation of fake elections more effectively in international forums, in particular the UN;

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q

(q) forge a coalition of democratic countries and multilateral institutions, such as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe, to counter the legitimisation of fake elections and fake observers more effectively in international forums, in particular the UN;

Amendment 106 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q

(q) forge a coalition of ~~democratic countries and~~ multilateral institutions, such as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe, to counter the legitimisation of fake elections more effectively in international forums, in particular the UN;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r

(r) advance the idea of developing guidelines on the right to participate in elections in the UN Human Rights Council, with the greater involvement of local civil society organisations and religious representatives; assess the feasibility of further developing and systematising General Comment No 25 to Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to evidence the link between the right to participate and human rights and democracy in order to deal with new challenges, including online disinformation and the rise of authoritarianism;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s a (new)

(sa) ensure that human rights are not used as a political tool and adopt a neutral stance when analysing the human rights and democracy situation;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t

(t) lead the efforts to give more visibility to the UN Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation and the work of those organisations that signed it and are active in election observation; consider calling for the list of signatories to the Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation to be updated, with a view to reinforcing its credibility and establishing a clear-cut way of differentiating between genuine observation groups and fake observers; apply similar approach towards the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors uniting 251 members, including regional networks and individual non- partisan election monitoring organizations spanning over 89 countries and territories on five continents; explore ways to undermine the legitimacy of shadow organisations and fake observers;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)

Cc. whereas ensuring the participation of women is key to guaranteeing free and fair elections; whereas progress towards gender equality has taken a step backwards;

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t

(t) lead the efforts to give more visibility to the UN Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation and the work of those organisations that ~~sign~~endorsed it and are active in election observation; consider calling for the list of ~~signatorie~~endorsing organisations to the Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation to be updated, with a view to reinforcing its credibility and establishing a clear-cut way of differentiating between genuine observation groups and fake observers; explore ways to undermine the legitimacy of shadow organisations and fake observers;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas genuine democratic elections are an indispensable aspect of inclusive and accountable governance, as they provide a mandate to the authorities from citizens;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas long-established liberal democracies, including in the European Union, are witnessing worrisome trends of deterioration of their democratic fabric, as exemplified by the rise in illiberalism in some Member States, decreasing levels of participation in elections, growing disillusionment with mainstream political parties and leadership and the growth of far-right parties; whereas such trends, if unaddressed, undermine the credibility of the EU and Member States to act as a global leader in the promotion of democracy worldwide and to engage with authoritarian and illiberal regimes on such matters;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas entire social groups such as minorities, disabled persons, non- residents and homeless populations continue to face challenges and discrimination in enjoying their right to participate in elections in EU Member States;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas over 75 % of people live in non-democratic countries, which limits their basic human rights; whereas ~~shrinking space for civil society~~a host of features of authoritarian regimes negatively influences the right to participate in genuine elections such as a shrinking space for civil society, voter intimidation, arbitrary disqualification of candidates and other forms of malicious interference by state authorities;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas over 75 % of people live in ~~non-democratic countries~~countries that are not free, which limits their basic human rights; whereas shrinking space for civil society negatively influences the right to participate in genuine elections;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas in 2022, only 8% of the global population lived in so-called 'full democracies' and more than one third of the global population lived under authoritarian rule (36.9%) - a large portion of them being in China and Russia;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct sham elections with the goal of entrenching their power and create legal and administrative barriers so that the will of the people cannot be reflected; whereas such elections are not free and fair, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct sham elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections are not free, transparent, verifiable, pluralistic and fair, lack ~~real~~legitimate political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

– having regard to Article 7(a) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct sham elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections are not free ~~and~~ fair or transparent, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote, to stand for election and be elected;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct sham elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections ~~are~~do not ~~free and fair~~represent the true will of the people, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct ~~sham~~fake elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections are not free and fair, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas arbitrary and politically fabricated disqualifications of opposition candidates are tools traditionally used by autocratic regimes to interfere in electoral processes, excluding anyone who may become a threat to the continuity of the autocratic government, to manipulate elections in such a way that the civilian population is hampered in their electoral choices and to avoid any prospect of a return to democracy;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas the EU should pay careful attention when choosing destinations to observe elections in order to avoid being seen as a legitimising force supporting the outcome of undemocratic elections;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas media freedom and pluralism are crucial components of the right to freedom of expression and information, as well as enablers of democratic, free and participative societies; whereas it is crucial that citizens have access to independent and reliable information; whereas the spread of false information, propaganda and disinformation creates a climate of global scepticism that threatens freedom of information and democratic debate;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)

Hb. whereas the concentration of power of media conglomerates, platform operators and internet intermediaries, and media control by economic corporations and political actors risk causing negative consequences for the pluralism of public debate and access to information and having an impact on the freedom, integrity, quality and editorial independence of journalism and broadcast media;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)

Hc. whereas transparency of media ownership and funding sources are absolute preconditions for ensuring media pluralism and independent journalism; whereas every effort must be undertaken to ensure the robustness of the media sector, to ensure independence from economic and political pressures, and to increase media freedom and pluralism;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas theyse tactics include observation systems involving false election observers, which help to steer the post-electoral discourse in support of autocratic and illiberal regimes; whereas these regimes are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the right of citizens to ~~vote and to be elected in~~participate in the management of public affairs, including the right to vote and to be elected in free, transparent, verifiable, periodic, and genuine democratic elections are fundamental, internationally recognised human rights;

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections; whereas EU Election Observation Missions aim to strengthen confidence in elections, deter fraud, and provide an informed and factual assessment of an election process;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections; whereas these regimes contribute to the erosion of global trust in democratic institutions by copying, developing and multiplying fraudulent practices unchallenged;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies, such as promotion of ‘counter-norms’ within global governance institutions, to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes undertake domestic and international observation activities that do not comply with the international standards set for domestic and international observers; whereas these fake international observation activities are then used to legitimise elections in other autocratic and illiberal countries;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas Hungary deployed for the first time in the history of any EU Member State a team of government- friendly election observers to observe its parliamentary elections in 2022, which praised the conduct of the elections, expressed support for the government and criticised the work of the OSCE ODIHR election observation mission;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)

Ib. whereas citizens of autocratic and illiberal regimes have limited opportunities to observe elections, or, if they do, the regimes do everything in their power to discredit observers or sideline their efforts;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas the severity and scale of attacks against non-partisan election observers –including harassment, defamation, threats, violations of rights ~~and~~, expulsions, physical violence and even killings – have intensified in recent years, creating an environment of uncertainty and insecurity with regard to their important work; whereas the EU considers election observers to be human rights defenders;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas the severity and scale of attacks against non-partisan election observers –including harassment, defamation, threats, violations of rights and physical violence – have intensified in recent years, creating an environment of uncertainty and insecurity with regard to their important work; ~~whereas the EU considers election observers to be human rights defenders;~~

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas tensions between democracies and authoritarian regimes are becoming more geopolitical; whereas this trend requires the EU to raise its democratic concerns to the highest political level, including by building more strategic alliances for democracy and by considering democracy as a strategic interest and as a key part of its geo-economic and trade strategies, and finding unconventional ways to support civic voices capable of speaking out against autocracies and their legitimisation strategies;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas tensions between democracies and authoritarian regimes are becoming more geopolitical; whereas this trend requires the EU to raise its democratic concerns to the highest political level, including by building more strategic alliances for democracy and by considering the promotion and defence of democracy as a strategic interest and as a key part of its geo-economic and trade strategies;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the right of citizens to vote, to stand for and to be elected in periodic, genuine democratic elections are fundamental, internationally recognised human rights;

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)

Ka. whereas regimes use elections as part of their authoritarian strategy, the European Union should focus not only on the electoral processes themselves, but also on the surrounding context and the underlying causes of authoritarian legitimisation;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)

Ka. whereas authoritarian and illiberal regimes infiltrate and use international institutions for their own benefit, including the legitimisation of fraudulent elections;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

La. whereas the suspension of democratisation processes and illiberal political tendencies in consolidated democracies have led to democratic backsliding and autocratisation;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)

Lb. whereas Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has given impetus to the erosion of the foundational principles of the liberal international order, such as multilateralism, rule-based cooperation, peaceful conflict solution, and democratic governance, with authoritarian countries, such as Russia and China, using this momentum to contest the very meaning of democracy and human rights;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) design and implement more decisive EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, as part of a much broader strategy on human rights and democracy support; ensure that these actions mainstream gender perspectives and inclusion of groups in vulnerable situations;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) design and implement more decisive EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, as part of a much broader European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy strategy on human rights and democracy support;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) design and implement more decisive EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, which is a universal and fundamental human right, as part of a much broader strategy on human rights and democracy support;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) design and implement more decisive and effective EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, as part of a much broader strategy on human rights and democracy support;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

(ba) condemn the increase in hate speech by certain public authorities, political parties and the media, as it constitutes a direct threat to the rule of law and the values enshrined in human rights; call, in this regard, on states to monitor hate speech by public authorities and elected officials and to adopt strong and concrete measures and sanctions against it; insist that governments around the world clearly condemn and take a zero-tolerance approach to racism and discrimination;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

(ba) address in a systematic and robust manner the attempts by third countries to restrict the enjoyment of the right to participate of minorities, youth, women, indigenous groups and other social groups;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b b (new)

(bb) engage with third countries to ensure an accessible and enabling environment for persons with disabilities, which allows them to participate in the political and public life of their communities; highlights in particular the need to address legal and administrative barriers to political participation; making voting procedures, facilities and election materials more accessible; expanding opportunities for participation in political and public life; increasing awareness of the right to political participation of persons with disabilities; and collecting data to measure the political participation of persons with disabilities:

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c

(c) streamline the right to participate in the EU’s external action toolbox; that the European Union’s delegations in third countries join forces and cooperate with the embassies of the Member States in order to promote EU values in this context in unison;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d

(d) acknowledge the severity of the difficulties that people living under autocratic and illiberal regimes have in accessing unbiased election-related information and discerning it from among regime-sponsored propaganda, including reliable information on candidates, voting preferences and the conduct of the election process, which inhibits their ability to understand whether elections are truly competitive and whether citizens’ preferences are reflected in the results; understand the erosion to the morale of the civil population caused by manipulated, non-transparent and illegitimate elections, as they create mistrust in both national and international government institutions;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d

(d) acknowledge the severity of the difficulties that people living under autocratic and illiberal regimes have in accessing unbiased, uncensored election- related information and discerning it from among regime-sponsored propaganda, including reliable information on candidates, voting preferences and the conduct of the election process, which inhibits their ability to understand whether elections are truly competitive and whether citizens’ preferences are reflected in the results and to work to prevent misuse of public resources and vote-buying;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d

(d) acknowledge the severity of the difficulties that people living under autocratic and illiberal regimes have in accessing ~~unbiased~~factual election-related information and discerning it from among regime-sponsored propaganda, including reliable information on candidates, voting preferences and the conduct of the election process, which inhibits their ~~ability to understand~~resources to assess whether elections are truly competitive and whether citizens’ preferences are reflected in the results;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)

(da) with a view to strengthening the legitimacy and credibility of its external action in this area, acknowledge and address internal shortcomings in the enjoyment of the right to participate within the European Union, notably for national minorities, women, persons with disabilities and other marginalised or vulnerable groups, who are among the social groups that continue to face specific challenges and discrimination in this regard;

Amendment 58 #

(da) acknowledge the importance of access to universal, public and free education that empowers people to make free choices;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e

(e) counter the narrative promoted by autocratic and illiberal regimes that they have mandates from their citizens as a result of genuine elections; formulate, in this regard, a comprehensive EU global strategy to counter the tools that these regimes use to legitimise elections, such as fake observers ~~and shadow election observation groups in the place of standardised international mission~~, including those from the EU Members States and EU institutions, such as the European Parliament, and shadow election observation groups in the place of standardised international missions; work with democratic countries to strengthen international institutions to prevent autocratic and illiberal regimes from infiltrating them and using them for their own selfish ends;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas Article 5 c of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination states that States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equally before the law enjoy political rights, in particular the right to participate in elections, to vote and to stand for election;

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)

(ea) ensure that EU public statements and other messaging on electoral outcomes in third countries are strictly in line with its values related to democracy, human rights and elections, are consistent with the findings of international observation missions and do not contribute to create false internal perceptions of elections when the latter fail to respect international standards;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f

(f) strengthen the ~~link between election observation work and the EU’s wider~~EU’s support for human rights and democracy using ~~both~~ political, commercial and cooperation tools~~; consider authoritarian electoral legitimisation strategies as early symptoms of underlying non-democratic trends and react accordingly~~;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f

(f) strengthen the link between election observation work and the EU’s wider support for human rights and democracy using both political and cooperation tools; consider authoritarian electoral legitimisation strategies as early symptoms of underlying non-democratic trends and react accordingly; counter authoritarian narratives that put security and democracy in contrast, thus limiting fundamental liberties under the pretext of state security,

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f

(f) strengthen the link between election observation work and the EU’s wider support for human rights and democracy using both political and cooperation tools; consider both authoritarian electoral legitimisation strategies asnd early symptoms of underlying non-democratic trends, such as the restriction of freedoms and the repression of independent civil society, political opponents and the media, and react accordingly;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)

(fa) condemn the fact that the EU has maintained its relations and trade and economic policies with countries where fundamental freedoms have been violated, including the right to participate in free elections;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)

(fa) counter the attempts of autocratic and illiberal regimes to exploit policy areas such as climate, sport and international development initiatives to falsely reinforce their legitimacy;

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g a (new)

(ga) monitor and denounce the role of private companies specialised in disinformation campaigns and that offer to covertly meddle in elections and manipulate public opinions in third countries; take effective action to ensure that EU-based public affairs, media and on-line companies do not engage in such behaviour and strictly respect the right to privacy and uphold the same level of data protection in partner countries as they are obliged to do under GDPR in the EU, particularly during election campaigns; urges these companies to abide by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and to be held accountable when they fail to do so;

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g b (new)

(gb) address attempts to discredit the work of genuine international election observation missions by EU Member States through the deployment of biased election observers to monitor domestic national elections, such as Hungary's parliamentary elections in 2022;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the right to participate in free and fair elections is intrinsically linked to other basic rights, such as the rights to freedom from discrimination, freedom of expression and opinion, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association;

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h

(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising and denouncing fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support civil society organisations, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected; highlights that media financing transparency and a true free and independent media are key to prevent undue influences;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h

(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support civil society organisations, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected and condemn in the strongest terms attacks against them;

Amendment 72 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h

(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support civil society organisations, democratic opposition forces, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h

(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support independent civil society organisations, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)

(ha) support citizen observer groups throughout the electoral cycle to allow them to advocate for electoral reform; support regional networks of citizen observers that provide solidarity, capacity building and exchange of experience with local groups; respond publicly and forcefully when citizen observer groups are challenged or under threat;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)

(ha) counter efforts by autocratic and illiberal regimes to legitimise each other's elections by fostering a safe space where local election observers can exchange knowledge and best practices at regional and global level;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i

(i) mainstream information about genuine elections and people’s right to participate in them, in the context of support for human rights and democratisation in the projects under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance, including support for election observers as human rights defenders; support the Global Campus of Human Rights to that end; support programmes aiming to improve the electoral legislative and administrative framework in third countries, including through support to national elections commissions;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i

(i) mainstream information about genuine elections and people’s right to participate in them, including about all minorities’ right to vote, in the context of support for human rights and democratisation in the projects under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance, including support for election observers as human rights defenders; support the Global Campus of Human Rights to that end;

Amendment 78 #

(ia) increase support for long-term election observation missions, as some of the most serious violations of electoral processes take place before polling day;

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i a (new)

(ia) underline the need to make European funding more transparent and easier to trace to ensure that it is not used to infringe human rights and democracy in non-EU countries;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas so that the right to vote and to be elected can be genuinely exercised, a climate must prevail in which human rights are respected and enjoyed by all, particularly the rights to equality and non-discrimination, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, security, and to an effective remedy;

Amendment 80 #

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j

(j) make use of the EU’s cultural diplomacy and international cultural relations toolbox to strengthen the right to participate, to counter autocratic and illiberal regimes’ narratives attempting to legitimise fake elections and to strengthen democratic culture in non-EU countries; build such cooperation on partnership-based grounds, especially given that ensuring electoral transparency, stopping foreign interference and improving our democracies is a work in progress, requiring bold, innovative and joint solutions;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k

(k) give more support to initiatives related to election observation training and knowledge building; insists on the preference for support and capacity- building for local election observers, rather than election observers coming from EU Member States, as this is a more sustainable approach to democracy- building; reiterates the importance of supporting regional and international networks of election observers;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k

(k) ~~giv~~provide more support to initiatives related to election observation training ~~and~~, knowledge building and engagement with local media and civil society organisations;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k

(k) give more support to initiatives related to election observation training and knowledge building at local, regional and international level;

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k a (new)

(ka) underlines the need to equip EU election observation missions with appropriate and up-to-date technical expertise on electronic voting and similar systems;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l

(l) explore the possibility of introducing a standing invitation for election observation within the democratic clause in EU agreements, the Generalised Scheme of Preferences and equivalent mechanisms, given the current reluctance of many countries to send election observation invitations to the EU; support Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and its work, especially in the framework of election observation;

Amendment 87 #

Katalin CSEH, Hilde VAUTMANS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l

Amendment 88 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas respect for civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights is a vital part of any electoral process; whereas it is essential to respect the fundamental freedoms and essential rights – such as the right to a universal, public and free education – that enable people to make free decisions;

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m

(m) include the outcomes of the EU’s election observation missions as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned; include an adequate follow-up on the recommendations of the EU election observation missions with an increased involvement of the European Parliament;

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m

(m) ~~include the out~~monitor closely the adoption and implementation of the recommendations of the EU’s election observation missions, and include them as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m

(m) include the outcomes of the EU’s and OSCE ODIHR election observation missions as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n

(n) address the right to participate in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogues; pay special attention to religious and ethnic minorities right to participate in elections;

Amendment 94 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n

(n) address the right to participate in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogues; ensure that those dialogues include independent civil society organisations;

Amendment 95 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n

(n) address the right to participate and all other aspects related to electoral integrity in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogues;

Amendment 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o

~~(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards;~~deleted

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o

(o) use the EU Gglobal Hhuman Rrights Ssanctions Rregimes (including the European Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for ~~serious~~ breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards; make additional use of the EU's restrictive measures to sanction those who gradually, progressively and covertly undermine democracy and the rule of law, allowing authoritarian trends to take hold in those countries;

Amendment 98 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o

(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards; considers that penalties should be further developed against persons involved in fake election observation missions, including members of parliaments and politicians of the EU Member States and Members of the European Parliament;

Amendment 99 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o

(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards;

source: 752.626

2023/10/09 AFET 27 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the rights of citizens to ~~vote and to be elected in~~participate in the management of public affairs, including the right to vote, to stand for and to be elected in free, transparent, verifiable, periodic, and genuine democratic elections are fundamental, internationally recognised human rights;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) design and implement more decisive and effective EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, which is a universal human right, as part of a much broader strategy on human rights and democracy support; ensure that these actions mainstream gender perspectives and the inclusion of groups in vulnerable situations;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

(b a) address in a systematic and robust manner the attempts by non-EU countries to restrict the enjoyment of the right to participate of minorities, including ethnic and religious minorities, and of youth, women, indigenous groups and other social groups; call, in particular, on the authorities of non-EU countries to monitor hate speech by public authorities and elected officials and to adopt strong and concrete measures and sanctions against it in order to advance towards a zero-tolerance approach to racism and discrimination; (bb) engage with non-EU countries to ensure an accessible and enabling environment for persons with disabilities, which allows them to participate in the political and public life of their communities; highlights, in particular, the need to address legal and administrative barriers to political participation by making voting procedures, facilities and election materials more accessible, by expanding opportunities for participation in political and public life and by raising awareness of the right to political participation of persons with disabilities and collecting data to measure this political participation;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c

(c) streamline the right to participate in the EU’s external action toolbox, which needs to be implemented by the European Union’s delegations in non-EU countries in very close cooperation with the embassies of the Member States; (ca) acknowledge and address shortcomings in the enjoyment of the right to participate within the EU with a view to strengthening the legitimacy and credibility of the EU’s external action in this area;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d

(d) acknowledge the severity of the difficulties that people living under autocratic and illiberal regimes have in accessing ~~unbias~~factual, uncensored election- related information and discerning it from among regime-sponsored propaganda, including reliable information on candidates, voting preferences and the conduct of the election process, which ~~inhibi~~restricts their ~~ability to understand~~resources to assess whether elections are truly competitive and whether citizens’ preferences are reflected in the results, and work to prevent the misuse of public resources and vote-buying; take into consideration the erosion to the morale of the civil population caused by manipulated, non-transparent and illegitimate elections, as they create mistrust in both national and international government institutions; (da) acknowledge the importance of access to universal and free education that empowers people to make free choices in elections;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e

(e) counter the narrative promoted by autocratic and illiberal regimes that they have mandates from their citizens as a result of genuine elections; formulate, in this regard, a comprehensive EU global strategy to counter the tools that these regimes use to legitimise elections, such as fake observers and shadow election observation groups ~~in the place of standardised international mission~~, including from EU Members States and EU institutions, such as some Members of the European Parliament, in the place of standardised international missions; ensure that this strategy goes beyond dialogue and statements of concern by the EU, and is geared towards improving the standards of democracy and the rule of law in the countries concerned; work with democratic countries to strengthen international institutions in order to prevent autocratic and illiberal regimes from infiltrating them and using them for their own ends;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f

(f) strengthen the link between election observation work and the EU’s wider support for human rights and democracy using ~~both~~ political, commercial and cooperation tools; consider authoritarian electoral legitimisation strategies as early symptoms of underlying non-democratic trends and react accordingly; counter authoritarian narratives that put security and democracy in contrast, thus limiting fundamental liberties under the pretext of state security, and the attempts of autocratic and illiberal regimes to exploit policy areas such as climate, sport and international development to falsely reinforce their legitimacy;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g

(g) counter autocratic and illiberal regimes’ efforts to create false internal perceptions of the genuineness of their fake elections; pay particular attention to autocratic and illiberal regimes’ ~~election- related~~ abuses of information and communication technology and artificial intelligence in relation with election manipulation, which they are increasingly carrying out in order to negatively affect participation by disseminating propaganda and disinformation and by implementing restrictions on access to information about the opposition’s ideas and candidates; (ga) monitor and denounce the role of private companies that specialise in disinformation campaigns and offer to covertly meddle in elections and manipulate public opinion in non-EU countries; take effective action to ensure that EU-based public affairs, media and online companies do not engage in such behaviour and instead strictly respect the right to privacy and uphold the same level of data protection in partner countries as they are required to uphold in the EU under the General Data Protection Regulation1a, particularly during election campaigns; ensure that these companies abide by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and are held accountable when they fail to do so; (gb) address the use of biased election observers to attempt to discredit the work of genuine international and EU election observation missions; __________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1).

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h

(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in de~~legitimis~~nouncing fake elections and delegitimising them in the eyes of local populations; support independent civil society organisations, democratic opposition forces, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; ~~support, in particular~~highlight that transparency regarding media financing and truly free and independent media are key for preventing undue influence; (ha) support, throughout the electoral cycle, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected, and condemn in the strongest terms attacks against them; support regional and global networks of citizen observers that provide solidarity, capacity building and exchanges of experience with local groups, which can help counter efforts by autocratic and illiberal regimes to legitimise each other’s elections;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i

(i) mainstream information about genuine elections and people’s right to participate in them, including about the right of all minorities to vote, in the context of support for human rights and democratisation in the projects under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance, including support for election observers as human rights defenders; support the Global Campus of Human Rights to that end; support programmes aiming to improve the legislative and administrative framework for elections in non-EU countries, including through support to national election commissions;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j

(j) make use of the EU’s cultural diplomacy and international cultural relations toolbox to strengthen the right to participate, to counter autocratic and illiberal regimes’ narratives attempting to legitimise fake elections and to strengthen a universal democratic culture ~~in non-EU countrie~~; build such cooperation on genuine partnerships, especially given that ensuring electoral transparency, stopping foreign interference and improving democracies is a work in progress, requiring bold, innovative and joint solutions;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country and that the people’s will, expressed through periodic, genuine and universal elections, must be the basis of government; whereas this message is reiterated by Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Ba. whereas Article 5(c) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination states that States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equally before the law enjoy political rights, in particular the right to participate in elections, to vote and to stand for election; whereas, nevertheless, some social groups such as minorities, persons with disabilities, non-residents and homeless populations face additional challenges and discrimination;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k

(k) ~~giv~~provide more support to initiatives related to election observation training and knowledge building at local, regional and international level and to engagement with local media and civil society organisations; highlight the importance of support and capacity building for local election observers in ensuring a more sustainable approach to democracy- building;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m

(m) ~~include the outcomes of the EU’s~~closely monitor the adoption and implementation of the recommendations of EU and OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) election observation missions and include them as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned; adequately follow up on the recommendations of EU election observation missions, with greater involvement of Parliament; ensure that EU public statements related to elections in non-EU countries are strictly in line with the EU’s values in the fields of democracy, human rights and elections and are consistent with the findings of EU election observation missions;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n

(n) address the right to participate ~~in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogue~~and all other aspects related to electoral integrity in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogues; ensure that those dialogues are complemented by a segment involving independent civil society organisations;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o

(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards, and make further use of the EU’s restrictive measures to sanction those who gradually and covertly undermine democracy and the rule of law in non-EU countries; ensure that the suspension of these restrictive measures is conditional on a real improvement in human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the country concerned; consider developing effective and dissuasive measures against persons involved in fake election observation missions, including members of parliament and politicians from EU Member States and Members of the European Parliament;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p

(p) recognise the role of ~~the EU’s~~EU and OSCE ODIHR election observation missions – including the role of Parliament – in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility, condemning fake election observation missions and bolstering the communications strategy both before and after elections; increase support for long-term election observation missions, as some of the most serious violations of electoral processes take place before polling day; equip EU election observation missions with appropriate and up-to-date technical expertise and resources for the adequate monitoring of aspects related to the new risks involved in the use of new electoral information and communication technologies;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q

(q) ~~forge a coalition of~~promote close cooperation and coordination between democratic countries ~~and~~, multilateral institutions, such as the OSCE O~~ffice for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe,~~DIHR and the Council of Europe, and the organisations that endorsed the UN Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation as a means to counter the legitimisation of fake elections and fake observers more effectively in international forums, in particular the UN;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t

(t) lead the efforts to give more visibility to the UN Declaration Oof Principles Ffor International Election Observation and the work of those organisations that ~~sign~~endorsed it and are active in election observation; consider calling for the list of ~~signatorie~~endorsing organisations to the UN Declaration Oof Principles Ffor International Election Observation to be updated, with a view to reinforcing its credibility and establishing a clear-cut way of differentiating between genuine observation groups and fake observers; take a similar approach to the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors; explore ways to undermine the legitimacy of shadow organisations and fake observers;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the right to participate in free and fair elections is intrinsically linked to other basic rights~~, such as the rights to freedom from discrimination, freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association;~~ ; whereas for the right to vote and to be elected to be genuinely exercised, a climate must prevail in which civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are respected and enjoyed by all, including the rights to equality and non-discrimination, education, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, freedom of religion and belief, security, and an effective remedy; whereas ensuring the participation of women is key for guaranteeing free and fair elections; Ca. whereas long-established liberal democracies all around the world are witnessing worrisome trends of deterioration in their democratic structures, leading to democratic backsliding and autocratisation, as exemplified by the rise in illiberalism, decreasing levels of participation in elections, growing disillusionment with mainstream political parties and leadership, and the growth of extremist parties; whereas the increasing hate speech promoted by these extremist parties and targeting vulnerable communities, including ethnic minorities and migrants, creates a climate of violence and prevents the conditions needed for people to exercise their right to political participation; whereas worrying trends of erosion of the fundamental principles of the rules-based international order are currently being seriously aggravated by Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas over 75 % of people live in non-democratic countries, which limits their basic human rights; whereas shrinking space for civil society negatively influences the right to participate in genuine elections, according to Freedom House, 80 % of people live in countries that are not free or are partly free, which limits their basic human rights; whereas more than one third of the global population lives under authoritarian rule;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is ~~not respe~~obstructed in autocratic and illiberal regimes~~, which conduct sham~~ by, among other things, the creation of legal and administrative barriers preventing the will of the people from being reflected, shrinking space for civil society, voter intimidation and the conducting of fake elections with the goal of entrenching their regimes’ power; whereas such elections are not free, transparent, verifiable, pluralistic and fair, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to ~~both vote and be elected~~vote, stand for election and be elected; whereas arbitrary and politically fabricated disqualifications of opposition candidates are also tools traditionally used by autocratic regimes to interfere in electoral processes;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas the weakening of judicial independence and the rule of law and the overall democratic backsliding in autocratic and illiberal regimes enable these regimes’ legitimisation strategies, including by removing effective checks on the enforcement of repressive laws, control of the media and malign interference in digital communication channels; Ha. whereas media freedom and pluralism are crucial components of the right to freedom of expression and information, as well as enablers of democratic, free and participative societies; whereas transparency of media ownership and funding and safeguards to ensure media pluralism and avoid the risk of a concentration of power in media, platform operators and internet intermediaries are essential for the media to fulfil its role; whereas it is crucial that citizens have access to independent and reliable information; whereas the spread of false information, propaganda and disinformation creates a climate of global scepticism that threatens freedom of information and democratic debate;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. Ia. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas ~~they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake election~~such strategies include undertaking domestic and international observation activities that do not comply with the international standards, such as deploying fake election observers who help to steer the post-electoral discourse in support of autocratic and illiberal regimes; whereas citizens in such regimes have limited opportunities to observe elections, and if they do, the regimes do everything in their power to discredit observers or sideline their efforts; Ib. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections through fake international observation activities; whereas these regimes contribute to the erosion of global trust in democratic institutions by copying, developing and spreading fraudulent practices unchallenged; whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes also use international institutions for their own benefit, including for the promotion of rival norms within global governance institutions and the legitimisation of fraudulent elections; Ic. whereas EU Election Observation Missions aim to strengthen confidence in elections, deter fraud and provide an informed and factual assessment of election processes;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas tensions between democracies and authoritarian regimes are becoming more geopolitical; whereas this trend requires the EU to raise its democratic concerns to the highest political level, including by building more strategic alliances for democracy ~~and~~, by considering the promotion and defence of democracy as a strategic interest and as a key part of its geo- economic and trade strategies and by finding innovative ways to support civic voices speaking out against autocracies and their legitimisation strategies;

Amendment 9 #