Council of Europe: Recounting Thousands of Votes Inevitably Raises Questions

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The Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CoE) has issued a statement regarding the aftermath of the local elections in Turkey at its 36th Congress Plenary Session.

In the statement made on "the appeals and recount of votes currently being organized in several municipalities," the Bureau has stated:

"We acknowledge the challenging or recounting of votes in the case of tight election results. Such challenges are rare and normally only involve a handful votes in very few places. When challenges are made relating to many thousands of votes in many places questions inevitably arise about the integrity of the entire election process."

'Judges must be free to work without interference'

Some highlights from the statement of the Bureau are as follows:

"In order that such challenges command the confidence of the Turkish people and the Council of Europe we call on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the Supreme Election Board and the District Election Boards are able to carry out their work in an open and transparent manner.

"We expect their work to be fully in compliance with international norms and standards, free from any and all inappropriate political interference and consistent with the rule of law. Their work must be lawful, open and transparent and their adjudications fair reasonable and honest. The judges must be free to work without interference.

'People should be able to vote in a fair political climate'

"In any Council of Europe state, it is the people that are sovereign. It is essential that they can vote in a reasonable and fair political climate and their political and democratic choices and decisions are fully respected.

"We look to Turkey to ensure that the adjudication of these electoral challenges will be conducted fairly and honestly fully in accordance with the rule of law and the democratic choices made by the Turkish people." (PT/SD)