Pre-election Assessment – 2013 Presidential Election

The upcoming Presidential Elections are headed to unfold against a context of uncertainty, crises of political legitimacy and unprecedented levels of political polarization. The latter is characterized by mistrust, categorical negative framing of one another and by the lack of self-accountability of institutions, politicians and their parties for their role in existing political crises. The electoral background is therefore discouraging.

This assessment highlights key indicators on freedom, fairness and inclusiveness that will effect the quality of the elections and recommendations for key parties to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections and tackle wider issues of electoral system such as vote-buying and misuse of public resources.