DnV: Local elections are marked by program coalitions and with more women on the list

In this case, political parties were asked to have programming coalitions and more women on the list. \

The women's participation seems to be increasingly symbolic in the electoral process, manifested through the women's quadrupt deficit on election lists, especially as holders of the lists, but also the space and financial support women candidates are offered during the campaign. Throughout the history of local elections in Kosovo, only one woman has managed to be elected mayor in 2013, while the number of women's candidacys is very symbolic, with an average of only five women candidates in 100 candidates”, is said by DnV.

From DnV have demanded that candidates present their real-time campaign revenues and spending, as the added value of the process, and political subjects, especially those who have power at the central or local level in certain municipalities, do not use public resources for campaign purposes.

Today, the network of local election monitoring organisations “Democracy in Action” ( DnV) held a media conference during which an exclusive assessment of the 17 October local elections was published. The goal of this address according to the DnV is to promote a climate of public discussion on issues to be addressed on the eve of elections

The election campaign model, which we have usually encountered in local elections, has favoured the mayoral candidate, bypassing candidates for municipal assembly. The start of election campaign activities before its official start has created competitive priorities for some subjects, in opposition to the spirit of equal election competition. Also, the early start of the campaign has enabled specific subjects to distort real expenses by reporting only those made during the official campaign, representing only the tip of the iceberg. Apart from the pre-future period, financing and spending statements remain problematic issues even during the campaign. Candidates in the local election race, in the absence of legal obligation, have not published their revenues and spending during the campaign, violating transparency of the process and the principle of equal electoral race.

The characteristic of the election campaign discurs has been recycling promises from the preliminary elections on topics often out of the reach of municipalities. The platforms in most cases, except that they are published too late, are more sneer political statements than serious offer to solve citizens' problems. Likewise, the candidacy usually only behaves around the first of the municipality, offering no information concerning the team or the governing cabinet that will be involved in implementing these platforms. On the other hand, election corruption, spread through the use of public resources for campaign purposes, has been one of the most negative election phenomena. This is typical of most municipalities, but in certain cases the mobilization of state resources in the function of the ruling party's campaign of candidates is identified.

Women's participation seems to be increasingly symbolic in the election process, manifested through the women's quadrupt deficit on electoral lists, especially as carriers of the lists, but also the space and financial support women candidates are offered during the campaign. Throughout the history of local elections in Kosovo, only one woman has managed to elect mayor in 2013, while the number of female candidacys is very symbolic, with an average of only five women candidates in 100 candidates. Even as list bearers, women are minimally involved. In the last two parties, only about 40 women have been list bearers, out of hundreds of carriers for the total. The under-representation of women is also available in the election management bodies, where political subjects still remain out of their pledges of women's involvement at 40%.

Traditional and social media have become one of the main forms of campaigning, especially during recent election processes. However, as a result of inadequate disregard for legal regulation, the media often serve as instruments of party promotion.

In terms of election management, the CEC has noted significant improvements. However, the majority of irregularities recorded during the voting process are the result of non-cial and non-adequate training of commissioners. As a result of such training, especially in relation to the counting process, we have a large percentage of locations that are recounted again. In addition, the CEC's work has been accompanied by politicisation of discussions, which has caused obstacles to the success of its work.

Based on these exclusive assessments of the October 17th elections, DnV offers key recommendations as follows:

Political subjects reach pre-election agreements and coalitions so that the candidacies are the result of programmeal coalitions, rather than market-based after the first round of elections;

Political subjects, especially those who have power at the central or local level in certain municipalities, not use public resources for campaign purposes;

Political subjects build clear and concrete platforms to address citizens' problems, and publish them in written or online formats;

The candidates present their incomes and real-time campaign spending as added value to the process.

Political subjects offer women more likely running as list carriers, as well as candidate for mayorship position;

Political subjects should not suffice to meet the minimum legal criteria of 30% for running women for municipal municipalities, but advance towards applying the model “made” on candidate lists, where every second candidate is of the other gender;

Political subjects offer equal financial support to all candidates, and make transparent their way of distributing especially to women candidates;

Training for KVV members should be better quality, more rigorously testing the commissioners' acquired knowledge. The content of training should also reflect the seriousness of problems in certain elements, especially in counting and meeting results forms. Also, the CEC create black “lists” of commissioners based on their performance;

Political subjects stick to their pledge to engage women at 40% level in election management, and even advance this involvement in 50-50% proportion ;

The Independent Media Commission conducts systematic media monitoring during the election campaign in terms of respecting regulations in force. KKPM to monitor the activity of political subjects even on social networks.