CSCE/SEDIO.3
It was pointed out that rules relating to the organization of elections are also important for the resolution of electoral disputes and drawing or redrawing of electoral constituencies. Participating States apply different systems in this respect, some recognizing the authority of their legislature while others accept the competence of the judiciary. A third system referred to was the establishment of a special judicial body with sufficient expertise in electoral matters and completely immune from the influence of the legislative and executive branches.
It was underlined that representative government now confronted a situation where the media, interest groups, spontaneous social movements and single-issue pressure groups have taken over some of the functions previously performed by political parties. At the same time, the level of electoral participation in many established democracies had diminished. There were differing views on the implications of such changes for the environment in which democratic institutions operated. noted that non-governmental organizations and new approaches by the media to the political process might play a constructive role, by activating voters and by making the political parties aware of
the concerns of voters.
It was
Reference was made to the necessity for democracies to deal with the anti-democratic forces in society without doing violence to democratic procedures and the ideology on which democratic
culture depended.
Extensive reference was made to the leading role played in many emerging democracies by broad, heterogeneous mass movements, united and inspired by their experience in confronting totalitarian regimes. The point was made that such movements may have to adjust in order to continue to play an active political role in post-revolutionary transition to democracy.
It was suggested that the process towards pluralism in former one-party States might require a codification of the role of political parties. Legislation was required to determine the conditions under which political parties were to operate, seek