Strengthening the right to participate: legitimacy and resilience of electoral processes in illiberal political systems and authoritarian regimes

In 2022, the Human Rights Subcommittee decided to prepare a Recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on how to respond to undemocratic elections by strengthening the human right to participate in public affairs. On 25 January 2023, a Workshop was organised on behalf of the Human Rights Subcommittee to discuss the challenge of elections in authoritarian countries from a human rights perspective. It focused on authoritarian leaders’ strategies to enhance their legitimacy and undermine international democracy standards, as well as proposals for further refining the EU’s human rights and democracy support toolbox. This report brings together the background briefings prepared for the workshop and a summary of the debate with Members, academics and EU representatives.