Fighting the influence of the media and fake news :

• The media will not be owned by billionnaires anymore. All of the media will be owned by the journalists and workers.

• We will create a Media Surveillance Department. It will be given the mission to punish the journalists posting fake news and send them in a Liar Reeducation Center for a week.

During the campaign :

• During the campaign, there will be a daily debate in all companies between the employees. The employers will of course be banned from these debates, except once a week.

To make our electoral system fair :

• In every elections, people will vote for 2 people (a man and a woman) who will share the position.

Already, we have to prevent attempts to remove Trump from the ballots, in a democracy you can't remove your main political opponent from the ballots.

This is not a banana republic.

There's plenty of evidence to go around, including results that rise on live TV shows, and ballots that are counted after election day. Mail-in voting and early voting must be limited.

In addition, ID must be shown to vote.

Second of all, assuring the citizens of a given country that there is no interference from a rival country. In 2016 and after, Russia was the subject of an investigation by the U.S congress in that matter. Russia might have been colluding with the Trump campaign to spread fake news and all sort of hoaxes regarding the Clinton and the democratic side of politics. All major elections throughout the world can be potential targets by the authoritarian axis, Russia, China and Iran, for strategic and geopolitical gains.

To ensure free and fair elections, I would ban the use of data analytics firms (such as Cambridge Analytica) by parties, in order to prevent the use of personal information that users didn’t consent to give and parties micro-targeting voters. Following the disclosure that Russia purchased political ads during the 2016 USA’s presidential election, Senator Mark Warner introduced a bill called the Honest Ads Act to the Senate. It requires companies to disclose who paid for the ads, how much they paid for and how the ads are targeted. The bill was incorporated into the For The People Act, which passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

Voting by mail has caused quite a stir in the 2020 USA’s presidential election when Donald Trump accused the Democratic party of “stealing the election” by using mail voting to commit fraud, then encouraged the far-right Americans to storm the Capitol. As mail voting introduces new risks of fraud (for example, a political operative could coerce voters by visiting their homes and making them fill the ballot in their favour), I would replace it by creating more polling stations, and in very poorly populated areas, mobile polling stations.

Propose measures to ensure to ensure that elections are free and fair

1 : 3 types of beholders from three different scales:

Internacional : Some international spectator, from international organisms, should follow the national electoral processus , these would ensure the global legitimity of the elections and favor international cooperation.

National : Some sort of democratic citizen maintained institution should watch the electoral process in all of it’s scales, the would also help to prevent fraud and would promote citizens participations in the democratic game

Intern : The political parties and organizations should be present in every electoral office to ensure the security and recount of the vote

2: Democratisation of mass media :

State should ensure the veracity and democracy of information. So we propose that mass media should not be owned by private enterprise corporations. Public media should provide a space to each political space, respecting proportional representation. Also journalists should, at all scales, be protected by some sort of collective agreement to ensure they are not subject to precarity. As precarity forces them to corrupt their work.

3: Favorise society participation in the electoral process :

Public debates should be organized at all scales, from school and universities to work places, but also in villages, cities, regions and nationally. To promote these, some sort of democratic holidays should exist. These rights should be linked to a duty of participation.

It is important for all citizens to be aware of the precise dates of the various elections that take place, but also of all the different steps and the mandatory documents to vote, in their country or in their country’s embassy.

Also, this type of campaign could underline how important are elections in a democracy, and what they imply for the citizens’ futures.

=> More civic and political education classes in school:

Citizens who don’t vote often do so because they don’t feel legitimate to express their opinions on political issues. A better civic and political education might help them feel more confident and well-informed on many topics.

=> Better content moderation on social platforms to fight the spread of fake news:

Fake news often spread on social media platforms due to the lack of content moderation. A more severe legislation is needed for groups like Meta to moderate better their platforms and the content that’s published. Since fake news have a huge impact on social media users, their presence online has an impact on the orientation of the users’ vote, hence on our democracies.

Ensuring fairness and justice in elections is paramount in safeguarding the integrity of democratic processes, particularly in the current digital and globalized landscape. Elections are vulnerable to manipulation from various quarters, especially in regimes where authoritarian leaders may attempt to tweak constitutional provisions to their advantage. To counter such threats, there is a pressing need for robust election laws that can effectively deter any attempts at tampering.

At the heart of any democratic system lies the principle of universal suffrage, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background or identity, has the right to vote. Upholding universal suffrage is critical in fostering inclusivity and ensuring that the voices of all citizens are heard and respected within the political arena.

Moreover, accessibility to the voting process plays a pivotal role in enabling broad participation among diverse communities, including those residing in remote or underprivileged areas. To address this, electoral authorities must implement measures to simplify and enhance the voting experience. This might involve establishing more accessible polling stations, offering alternative voting methods such as mail-in or electronic ballots, and providing comprehensive voter education programs.

We also need more official polling time, because polls create self-fulfilling prophecies.

The programmes should also be better explained to the public

The usefulness and competencies of the institutions that people vote for need to be better understood by citizens.

The most fundamental principle defining credible elections is that they must reflect the free expression of the will of people. To achieve this, elections should be transparent, inclusive and trusted by voters and those elected. There must be equitable opportunities to compete in the elections and genuine political competion.

As well as, in order for elections to be free and fair, one can set up the voting booth that is supposed to be a guarantee of secrecy and personal character of the vote and thus limit the influence of a third person. In addition, the same campaign conditions can be guaranteed for all candidates in an election. This requires the introduction of laws regulating elections such as the one in France limiting campaign spending to a certain ceiling. Also, laws to prevent electoral fraud can be put in place.

That also require equal media access for all candidates. Regulations should ensure that all political parties have equal opportunities to share their views, preventing media bias.

Strengthening laws against electoral fraud and voter intimidation ensures the integrity of elections. Severe penalties for violators help maintain a fair electoral process.

6 strategys to make elections more equal and democratic :

Electoral Transparency : Ensure transparency at all stages of the electoral process, from voter registration to vote counting. This includes independent oversight, publication of results, and equal media access for all candidates.

Inclusive Electoral Participation : Guarantee that all eligible citizens have equal and fair access to electoral processes, without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or other criteria.

Freedom of Expression and Association : Protect freedom of expression, assembly, and association, allowing citizens to fully engage in political debate and form political parties or civic movements without fear of repression.

International Supervision : Invite independent international observers to monitor the electoral process and ensure its integrity.

Electoral Reform : Implement legislative and institutional reforms to ensure fair elections, including campaign finance laws, independent electoral commissions, and mechanisms for electoral complaints.

Civic Education : Educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities as voters, as well as how the electoral system works, to promote informed and active participation.

By combining and consistently applying these methods, countries can create an environment conducive to elections that are both free, democratic, and potentially revolutionary in their impact on society