Strasbourg, 14 December 2020 CDL-AD(2020)032 Study No. 881/2017 Or. Engl. EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION) OSCE OFFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS (OSCE/ODIHR) GUIDELINES ON POLITICAL PARTY REGULATION 2ND EDITION Approved by the Council of Democratic Elections at its 69th online meeting (7 October 2020) and Adopted by the Venice Commission at its 125th online Plenary Session (11-12 December 2020) on the basis of comments by OSCE/ODIHR Core Group of Experts on Political Parties Mr Josep Maria CASTELLA ANDREU (Member, Spain) Mr Pieter van DIJK (Expert, Former Member, the Netherlands) Mr Nicolae ESANU (Substitute Member, Republic of Moldova) Mr Ben VERMEULEN (Member, the Netherlands) This document will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy. www.venice.coe.int CDL-AD(2020)032 - 2 - Table of contents I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 5 II. POLITICAL PARTIES: THEIR IMPORTANCE, FUNCTIONS AND REGULATION ............ 7 1. The classification and importance of political parties and their functions ........................ 7 2. Three dimensions ........................................................................................................... 8 3. Two models ..................................................................................................................... 9 III. PRINCIPLES .................................................................................................................... 13 Principle 1. Freedom of Association of Political Parties; Presumption of Lawfulness ....... 13 Principle 2. Duty to Respect, Protect and Facilitate .......................................................... 14 Principle 3. Freedom of Expression and Opinion .............................................................. 15 Principle 4. Political Pluralism ........................................................................................... 16 Principle 5. Legality and Legitimacy of Restrictions .......................................................... 16 Principle 6. Necessity and Proportionality of Restrictions ................................................. 17 Principle 7. Effective Remedy ........................................................................................... 18 Principle 8. Equal Treatment of political parties ................................................................ 19 Principle 9. Equal Treatment by and within Political Parties, Special Measures, Internal Democracy ........................................................................................................................ 19 Principle 10. Good Administration ..................................................................................... 20 Principle 11. Accountability ............................................................................................... 20 IV INTERPRETATIVE NOTES ............................................................................................. 21 PART I FREEDOM OF POLITICAL PARTIES, REGULATION, RESTRICTIONS ............ 21 1. Political Parties; Legal Framework ................................................................................ 21 a. Definition of Political Party ........................................................................................ 21 b. Legal Framework ...................................................................................................... 22 c. Legal Status .............................................................................................................. 23 d. Relevant rights .......................................................................................................... 23 2. Freedom of Political Parties; Legitimate Means of Regulation and Restriction ............. 24 a. Registration ............................................................................................................... 25 b. Registration Fees ...................................................................................................... 26 c. Minimum Support ..................................................................................................... 27 d. Requirements for Retention of Registration .............................................................. 28 e. Geographic Representation ...................................................................................... 29 f. International Communication and Co-operation of Parties ........................................ 29 3. Prohibition and Dissolution of Political Parties .............................................................. 29 a. Legality and subsidiarity ............................................................................................ 29 b. Proportionality ........................................................................................................... 31 c. Legitimacy of Aims and Means ................................................................................. 32 d. Limited Effects, Incidental Activities .......................................................................... 33 e. Serious, Imminent Threat .......................................................................................... 34 f. Article 17 ECHR (the ‘Abuse Clause’) ........................................................................ 35 4. Regulation of Political Parties in Parliament ................................................................. 35 a. Functions and Guarantees ........................................................................................ 35 b. Majority Rule ............................................................................................................. 36 c. Rights of Parliamentary Opposition Parties ............................................................... 37 d. Use of Public Resources ........................................................................................... 37 e. Free Mandate ............................................................................................................ 37 5. Equal Treatment of Political Parties .............................................................................. 38 6. Equal Treatment by Political Parties: Admission, Restrictions ...................................... 40 7. Freedom of the Individual; Restrictions ......................................................................... 40 - 3 - CDL-AD(2020)032 a. Freedom of the Individual .......................................................................................... 40 b. Restrictions on Civil Servants, Police, Armed Forces, Members of State Administration (Article 11(2) ECHR) ................................................................................. 41 c. Restrictions on Aliens (Article 16 ECHR) .................................................................. 42 d. Restrictions on Multiple Membership ........................................................................ 43 PART II. INTERNAL FUNCTIONING OF POLITICAL PARTIES .......................................... 43 1. Regulation of Internal Party Structures and Activities; Internal Party Democracy ........ 43 2. Internal Party Rules ...................................................................................................... 44 3. Choosing Party Leadership and Candidates; Equality, Non-Discrimination ................. 45 a. National and Ethnic Minorities ................................................................................... 46 b. Gender ...................................................................................................................... 47 c. Persons with Disabilities ............................................................................................ 49 4. Freedom of Association and Non-Discrimination .......................................................... 50 PART III PARTIES IN ELECTIONS ..................................................................................... 51 1. Variety of Electoral Systems; Margin of Appreciation ................................................... 51 2. Political Pluralism .......................................................................................................... 51 3. Partisan Candidates ...................................................................................................... 52 4. Non-Partisan (Independent) Candidates ....................................................................... 52 5. Minority Candidates ...................................................................................................... 53 a. National and Ethnic Minorities ................................................................................... 53 b. Gender ...................................................................................................................... 53 c. Persons with Disabilities ............................................................................................ 54 d. Thresholds ................................................................................................................ 54 6. Access to Elections ....................................................................................................... 54 a. Ballot Access for Political Parties .............................................................................. 54 b. Media Access ...........................................................................................................