15/12/2009 Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE's Political Affairs Committee, meeting in Paris on 15 December, said that Council of Europe member states should consider decreasing legal electoral thresholds that are higher than 3 per cent and removing other obstacles, including high financial deposits, which bar minor parties or independent candidates from being represented on elected bodies.
Henrik Daems (Belgium, ALDE), presenting a report on "thresholds and other features of electoral systems which may have an impact on representativity of national parliaments", presented a set of measures aimed at increasing confidence in electoral systems.
These included further regulatory action, sharing of good practices as well as improved control and follow-up, all of which should contribute to an enhanced interest in the political process and to overcoming the feeling of political disaffection.