Right to Vote and to Be Elected in the International and Regional Standards and Legal Instruments

Abstract

As one of the most fundamental rights, the right to vote and to stand for elections can be constrained in a myriad of methods, the international and regional standards provide with a wide variety of electoral systems. It is generally recognized that no single electoral method exists which is suited to all nations and peoples; election systems are complex and require close examination to ensure freedom and fairness. However, the right to vote is a well-established norm of international law. Significant international and regional treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and but not the end Organization of American States, enshrine the claim of citizens to universal and equal suffrage, and also work as international legal instruments of protection to enforce the right to vote that have been applied in acceptable way.