Fundamental freedoms respected during Lithuania parliamentary elections but room for improvement, concludes OSCE/ODIHR final report

Lithuania’s parliamentary elections on 14 October 2012 were conducted with respect for fundamental freedoms, concludes the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), although certain aspects of the legal framework, political party financing and the media environment could benefit from review.

The report, released on 3 January 2013, notes that candidates were able to campaign freely and assesses the legal framework governing parliamentary elections as providing a sound basis for the conduct of democratic elections. However, the report recommends that the legislation include explicit provision for observation by domestic civil society and international monitors. It also recommends that disparities in the size of electoral districts be addressed to ensure the equality of voting rights and bring this in line with international good practice.

While regulations on election campaign financing are assessed as detailed and well monitored, the report says that certain aspects of political party financing are insufficiently regulated.

It adds that, while the media provided voters with access to a variety of views and information about the candidates, the criminalization of libel, together with over-detailed provisions on campaign content, has the potential to stifle vibrant pre-election debate.

The report also notes that the process for challenging election results is indirect and, to ensure compliance with international good practice, final decisions regarding the validity of elections should be made by a court, rather than by parliament.