Speaking notes Ms. Bijleveld European Conference Electoral Management Bodies
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome to the 6th European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies.
I especially want to welcome the members of the Venice Commission. The Commission initiated this conference and this year its secretariat organized this event together with the Dutch electoral council and Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. It is a pleasure indeed, to meet you all. Last week I had the honour to chair a meeting of the Council of Europe in Utrecht but – quite honestly - this place is nicer.
The hotel was originally not really associated with democracy. This health Spa – that is what a Kurhaus is – was, on purpose, build a considerable distance from where the ordinary people lived. This was for the European nobility and crowned heads. The czar of Russia could travel by train directly from Petersburg to a station opposite this hotel. This hotel also played in the last century a part in a number of peace-conferences; none too successful, as we know now, sadly enough.
More spectacular was the concert of the Rolling Stones in 1964 that ended after only four songs and supposedly with a policeman on horseback in the hall to chase the youngsters out.
Anyway, this is a historical place and I hope you will enjoy it, because you have to engage the coming two days in serious matters: how to get people to exercise their right to vote.
Democracy depends on elections. And elections are not just a selection procedure for officials and seats in a parliament. The number of people that participate in the elections determines to a large extent the legitimacy of an elected government; if a government will get the support and loyalty of the voters.
But how do we then ensure genuine voters participation? In the Netherlands for the elections for the national parliament we count ourselves lucky with an 80% turnout. During local elections we did note even reach 58% and during the European election last year only 36 % showed up. That is a disappointing trend and we – like many other countries – are faced with the question how to convince people to vote.
First and foremost it is up to the political parties to mobilize voters. They offer the possibility to cast a vote; the alternatives to choose. But aside from the mobilisation by the political parties there is the need to inform potential voters about how the elections are organised. About where, when and who can be voted. That is the role of the organising authorities. Aspects to be considered here are for instance an obligation to appear for voting or not, and campaigns to emphasize the importance of the vote.
I hope that this conference will give us insights in successful attempts by other member states to stimulate a broad participation of voters.
A different matter is the question, who is entitled to vote and who can take that right away on what criteria? I am referring to prison inmates and people who are intellectually challenged. The question of who is entitled to vote, has recently been discussed in the Netherlands. Last year the Constitution was adapted so that people with a mental handicap who are a ward of the court, may vote. Before this they did not have that right. I am interested to learn about the law and practice in the member states.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Participation in elections is the litmus test of a democracy. It is directly related to the legitimacy of government.
In a time that we are faced with a sometimes disturbing cynicism about democracy, we have to ensure that nothing is left undone to involve everybody in the democratic process. I wish you wisdom and creativity, but I also hope you will have a good time in The Netherlands.