Electoral Campaigns and Their Role in Ensuring Fair Elections: A Comparative Study of the Electoral Systems of Iran and France

One of the key principles emphasized in international and regional human rights documents is the conduct of free and fair elections. According to Article ۶ of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the administration of the country must rely on public opinion through elections or referendums. Free and fair elections are the outcome of processes that encompass all stages of elections, including electoral campaigns. Electoral campaigns, as a limited period before elections during which parties and candidates seek public support, are no exception to this rule. Indeed, campaigns can play a pivotal role in the competition between parties and candidates, influencing voter preferences and, ultimately, the election results. Therefore, the necessity of establishing a clear and precise legal framework is widely acknowledged. In addition to the aforementioned factors, electoral campaigns are significantly influenced by the financial equality of parties and candidates. In some countries, efforts have been made to facilitate this by establishing financial frameworks, setting spending limits, and providing financial assistance to parties and candidates. However, unfortunately, the legal framework for electoral campaigns in Iran lacks a unified and specific structure for different elections and faces numerous challenges and deficiencies. This article seeks to examine the role of electoral campaigns in ensuring fair elections, while conducting a comparative study of the approaches of the electoral systems of Iran and France.

کلیدواژه ها:

Free and Fair Elections ، Electoral Campaigns ، Election Law ، French Electoral System ، Iranian Electoral System