Republic of Cyprus
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Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 30 May 2021 ODIHR NEEDS ASSESSMENT MISSION REPORT 15-18 February 2021 Warsaw 18 March 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 1 III. FINDINGS ................................................................................................................................... 3 A. BACKGROUND AND POLITICAL CONTEXT .................................................................................. 3 B. LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND ELECTORAL SYSTEM ........................................................................ 4 C. ELECTION ADMINISTRATION ...................................................................................................... 5 D. VOTER REGISTRATION................................................................................................................ 6 E. CANDIDATE REGISTRATION ....................................................................................................... 6 F. ELECTION CAMPAIGN ................................................................................................................. 7 G. CAMPAIGN FINANCE ................................................................................................................... 7 H. MEDIA ......................................................................................................................................... 8 I. ELECTION OBSERVATION ........................................................................................................... 9 J. COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS ....................................................................................................... 9 IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................... 10 ANNEX: LIST OF MEETINGS ........................................................................................................ 11 REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 30 May 2021 ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report I. INTRODUCTION Following an official invitation from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus to the OSCE to observe the 30 May 2021 parliamentary elections and in accordance with its mandate, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Nicosia from 15 to 18 February. The ODIHR NАМ included Vladimir Misev, Senior Adviser on New Voting Technologies, and Kseniya Dashutsina, ODIHR Election Adviser. The purpose of the mission was to assess the pre-election environment and the preparations for the parliamentary elections. Based on this assessment, the NAM should recommend whether to deploy an ODIHR election-related activity for the forthcoming elections, and if so, what type of activity best meets the identified needs. Meetings were held with officials from state institutions, as well as with representatives of political parties, media and civil society. A list of meetings is annexed to this report. ODIHR would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its assistance and co-operation in organizing the NAM. ODIHR would also like to thank all of its interlocutors for taking the time to meet with the NAM and share their views. II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The parliamentary elections will take place on 30 May. The 56 members of the House of Representatives are elected for a five year term under the proportional representation system from six multi-member electoral districts. Each of the three constitutionally recognized minority religious groups elect a representative with non-voting rights. The elections are taking place in the context of long-standing efforts to settle the Cyprus problem and aftermath of the corruption scandals involving high level officials. Cyprus is in nationwide partial lockdown, following the outbreak of the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions imposed on movement and assembly. The election-related legal framework was last amended 2019. The changes abolished provisions for mandatory voting, extended the period of submission of expenditure reports to two months, and regulated procedure of replacement of vacant parliamentary seats. Most ODIHR NAM interlocutors noted that it provides an adequate basis for conducting democratic elections. However, a number of previous ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed, including those related to equal participation of voters with disabilities, voter registration, campaign and campaign finance rules, and measures to facilitate a more balanced participation of both genders in political and public life. The election administration is predominantly composed of civil servants. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) acts as the General Returning Officer mandated to administer the elections. The District Returning Officers (DRO) are organizing the elections at the district level. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MoI is developing election day procedures in consultation with the Ministry of Health. Over 1,200 polling stations will be established. MoI is considering reducing the maximum number of voters per polling station to ensure social distancing and adherence to safety and health protocols. While all ODIHR NAM interlocutors expressed confidence in the professionalism, impartiality, and ability of election administration to ensure effective conduct of the Republic of Cyprus Page: 2 Parliamentary Elections, 30 May 2021 ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report election procedures, some voiced concerns over challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which might affect the preparations and conduct of the upcoming elections. The right to vote is extended to all citizens who are at least 18 years old by election day and who have resided in Cyprus for a period of six months before becoming eligible to vote. Voter registration is active and compulsory. To be registered as a voter, citizens below 25 years of age have to submit an application, while older citizens are subject to an interview with the District Administration Officer to prove habitual residence in Cyprus for a period of at least 6 months, and are required to submit social security document. There is no possibility to submit documents electronically. ODIHR NAM interlocutors opined that active voter registration and additional requirements for the new voters to register are burdensome and might diffuse voters from exercising their right to vote. As of 2 January, the total number of registered voters was 543,804. Citizens over the age of 21 years have the right to stand as candidates, either individually or nominated by a political party or coalition. The right to stand is denied to individuals lacking legal capacity on the grounds of mental disability or disqualified by the court for any electoral offence. Candidate lists are nominated by a political party or a coalition separately for each district, and registered by the respective DROs. All political parties met by the ODIHR NAM stated their intention to nominate candidates and expressed confidence in the registration process. While some parties met by the ODIHR NAM stated that they employ internal measures for gender balanced lists, other parties do not have formal policies to promote women candidates. The election campaign is largely unregulated and various legal deadlines pertaining to the campaign are not harmonized. The campaign is expected to primarily focus on modalities of resolving the Cyprus problem, corruption and economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Parties met by the ODIHR NAM intend to move their campaigns to the broadcast and online media and social networks due to the current restrictions on public assemblies imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While most ODIHR NAM interlocutors expressed confidence in the ability to campaign freely, smaller political parties stated that restrictions on assembly and lack of financial resources will significantly limit their outreach. Party and campaign finance are regulated by the election law and the 2012 Political Party Law. The latest amendments to the party finance framework enhanced transparency, however, previous ODIHR recommendations on the need to clarify campaign finance rules, shorten the deadlines for submission of financial reports, and enhance the functions of the oversight authorities, remain to be addressed. The ODIHR NAM interlocutors noted inconsistencies and gaps in the legislation, and had a varied understanding of the applicable rules. The Audit Office is the oversight authority responsible for party and campaign finance. Most ODIHR NAM interlocutors generally expressed confidence in the impartiality and professionalism of the institution, but noted that legal framework requires further revision to ensure effective oversight. The media landscape is diverse with a variety of private and public broadcasters, as well as print and online media. By law, broadcasters should ensure equal and objective treatment of all candidates during the electoral period. The public broadcaster, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, informed the ODIHR NAM that they developed a Code of Election Coverage and shared it with political parties. The Cyprus Radio-Television Authority is the media regulatory body, mandated to ensure equal treatment of electoral contestants