RIGHTS, LAWS, AND NORMS: RE-THINKING INTERNATIONAL ELECTORAL STANDARDS

International electoral standards are a phenomenon that is born out of practice of international observation and assistance. This phenomenon has entered the theoretical field only recently through the studies of the role of international actors in elections. This thesis provides an academic scrutiny for this phenomenon taking into account its interdisciplinary and multi-layered nature. It explores the suitability and scope of the current use of ‘standardization’ as an approach adopted by the international community for the assessment of national elections. Thus, in this thesis different disciplines, including international law, international relations, comparative public and constitutional law are discussed, with the goal to provide tools for the explanation of the formation of international electoral standards. The empirical studies conducted on the basis of materials of international actors involved in the application of international electoral standards (OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission) supplement the theoretical findings on the role of international actors and demonstrate how the different ways of application of international human rights jurisprudence and other international norms may lead to the creation of international electoral standards.