80 Elections PART II 2.2 Elections See also: § I. 2.3.4 A: The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Copenhagen 1990 (5) [The participating States] solemnly declare that among those elements of justice which are essential to the full expression of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all human beings are the following: (5.1) - free elections that will be held at reasonable intervals by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedure, under conditions which ensure in practice the free expression of the opinion of the electors in the choice of their representatives; (…) (6) The participating States declare that the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government. The participating States will accordingly respect the right of their citizens to take part in the governing of their country, either directly or through representatives freely chosen by them through fair electoral processes (…) (7) To ensure that the will of the people serves as the basis of the authority of government, the participating States will (7.1) - hold free elections at reasonable intervals, as established by law; (7.2) - permit all seats in at least one chamber of the national legislature to be freely contested in a popular vote; (7.3) - guarantee universal and equal suffrage to adult citizens; (7.4) - ensure that votes are cast by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedure, and that they are counted and reported honestly with the official results made public; (7.5) - respect the right of citizens to seek political or public office, individually or as representatives of political parties or organizations, without discrimination; (7.6) - respect the right of individuals and groups to establish, in full freedom, their own political parties or other political organizations and provide such political parties and organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities; (7.7) - ensure that law and public policy work to permit political campaigning to be conducted in a fair and free atmosphere in which neither administrative action, violence nor intimidation bars the parties and the candidates from freely presenting their views and qualifications, or prevents the voters from learning and discussing them or from casting their vote free of fear of retribution; (7.8) - provide that no legal or administrative obstacle stands in the way of unimpeded access to the media on a non­discriminatory basis for all political groupings and individuals wishing to participate in the electoral process; (7.9) - ensure that candidates who obtain the necessary number of votes required by law are duly installed in office and are permitted to remain in office until their term expires or is otherwise brought to an end in a manner that is regulated by law in conformity with democratic parliamentary and constitutional procedures.