How Ukraine's EU accession push is forcing election law reforms
On 14 May, the Ukrainian government approved three "roadmaps" as part of the requirements to begin EU accession talks.
Two of these roadmaps involved the Central Election Commission (CEC), as electoral reform is one of the key areas they cover.
Ukraine must prepare for democratic post-war elections, modernise electoral procedures and incorporate previous recommendations from OSCE/ODIHR missions while aligning its laws with EU norms and standards. This involves more than just technical updates. It also requires rethinking certain approaches to the electoral process.
Read more in the article by CEC Deputy Chair Vitalii Plukar and adviser to the CEC Chair Oleksandr Kliuzhev: EU-standard elections: how Ukraine’s electoral law must be amended before joining the EU.
Once Ukraine joins the EU, citizens of other EU member states residing in Ukraine must be granted the right to vote and stand for local elections, as well as for Ukrainian seats in the European Parliament. This is enshrined in the EU’s founding treaties.
However, EU law also allows member states to set residency requirements, leadership restrictions, incompatibility rules and temporary exemptions.
Crucially, granting voting rights to EU citizens in Ukraine is not only a legal matter. It also requires open and timely public dialogue to avoid conflict and misunderstanding about foreign nationals participating in certain elections.
It's important to emphasise that Ukrainians in the EU will enjoy the same rights, supporting their political representation abroad.
According to the roadmap on the functioning of democratic institutions, Ukraine has committed to reforming its electoral legislation and practices.
First, the roadmap outlines the need to adapt electoral laws to post-war realities and account for the consequences of Russia’s armed aggression.
To allow the state to make impartial decisions on the impossibility of holding national or local elections in certain areas, clear legal criteria must be established to assess the readiness of those territories for elections. Work in this area is already underway.
Second, the roadmap includes Ukraine’s commitment to incorporating key EU standards and previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations into its electoral legislation and practices.
Third, it calls for ensuring that voters receive comprehensive, clear, and accessible information about the electoral process. The CEC must develop and implement a communications strategy for post-war elections in Ukraine.
Fourth, the roadmap provides for strengthening the institutional capacity of the CEC, including upgrading the State Voter Register with cybersecurity in mind and gradually implementing a Unified Information and Analytical System with new electronic services.
Additionally, the roadmap outlines steps to update political party legislation in accordance with international standards.
Ukraine’s own experience can contribute to enhancing democratic governance standards in EU member states. Thus, the benefits of EU accession are mutual: Ukraine stands to gain from membership, while the EU benefits from welcoming a strong country with unique expertise in areas ranging from digitalisation to progress in democratic processes.