Problems of Systematization of the International Election Standards

Abstract

The problems of systematization and classification of the international election standards are discussed. Classifications of the international election standards proposed in four documents (“Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters” by European Commission for Democracy Through Law; the report by the group of experts OSCE/ODIHR “Existing Commitments for Democratic Elections in OSCE Participating States”; draft European convention on election standards, electoral rights and freedoms; the analytical report of Independent Institute of Elections “Russian Elections in the Context of the International Election Standards”) are compared. Some problems of the content of the international election standards are also discussed, namely, the problem of exceptions to the rules and a declarative character of many standards.