Democray and elections

Democracy is a fundamental principle of the European Union. It is expressed in many ways in how the Union institutions work, not only by the rights of Member States to vote on issues, but also by the rights of citizens to directly elect members of the European Parliament to represent them. This representation, as well as citizens' participation in decision making are key elements of democracy in the EU. The importance of representation and participation, through free and fair elections and an open, informed and plural political debate represent the cornerstones of a functioning democracy. In fact, the right of EU citizens to vote and stand as candidates in European Parliament and municipal elections in the countries in which they live, and their freedom to express themselves and form political associations are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights2. This survey was commissioned by the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers to explore citizens' opinions and concerns about voting and elections, as well as their satisfaction with various aspects of democracy in the EU. It covers the following areas: - Opinions about voting in European or national parliamentary elections when living in an EU country other than their country of origin, including preferred voting methods; - The level of responsibility citizens from other EU countries should have if they win municipal elections in their country of residence; - Concerns about electronic, online or postal voting including electoral manipulations such as cyberattack and voter coercion; - Satisfaction with Member States' actions to prevent illegal and fraudulent activities during elections; - The level of participation in political debates in online social networks during election periods, as well as the reasons respondents do not participate; - Concerns about the use of the Internet and online social networks during election periods; - Opinions about whether online social networks, Internet platforms and those that use them should be bound by the same rules as traditional media during pre-election periods; - Satisfaction with a number of aspects of democracy in the EU, - The importance of the role of civil society in protecting democracy.