OSCE/ODIHR final report on parliamentary elections in Turkey recommends review of legislation, ensuring equality of vote and media freedom
The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Turkey’s 7 June 2015 parliamentary elections recommends a review of the legislation in line with international obligations and standards for conducting democratic elections, and ensuring equality of the vote across electoral constituencies. The report also recommends that voting rights and eligibility requirements for candidates be reviewed.
Noting concerns over freedom of media, the report recommends that the authorities refrain from undue interference into the rights of freedom of expression, to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas, in line with international obligations.
The report, published on 18 August 2015, notes that, while the elections were characterized by active citizen participation and with general respect for fundamental freedoms, the 10 per cent parliamentary threshold limits political pluralism. The report recommends this threshold be lowered.
The report recommends that decisions of the Supreme Board of Elections (SBE) be consistent with the law and within its regulatory authority. To improve the transparency of the election process, it also recommends that media and observers have access to meetings of the electoral boards as well as to the immediate publication of the preliminary election results by the SBE.
Having observed the misuse of state resources for campaign purposes, the report recommends implementing safeguards to ensure a clear separation between the State and parties to prevent public officials, including the President and candidates, from taking advantage of their offices for electoral purposes.
To provide for an effective means of redress, the report recommends that SBE decisions be subject to judicial review in a timely manner. Additional recommendations relate to amending the legislation to explicitly provide for the presence of observers, both international and citizen.
The preliminary statement of findings and conclusions, issued by ODIHR, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, with whom the ODIHR mission joined efforts for election day observation, said the elections were characterized by active citizen participation and general respect for fundamental freedoms, but that limitations to media freedoms and a lack of safeguards against the misuse of resources were areas of concerns.