In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the Arab States region joined others worldwide by moving swiftly to invoke constitutional provisions such as national defense laws or emergency powers to enable national responses unprecedented in scope and scale intended to ensure public health.

While orders to stay-at-home are perhaps the most widely recognized aspects of these measures, less highlighted in the public and regional discourses are the de facto limits these restrictions place on important spheres of life including the activities of political parties, civil society and the reduction in transparency of government actions. At such times the powers of the executive are extraordinary.

Rights advocates are raising alarms that the current overriding of human rights may be exploited for political ends. They’re concerned the pandemic might present opportunities for regimes to further entrench a police state, political parties to further deepen existing political and sectarian tensions with leaders reluctant to concede these newfound privileges.

These fears are particularly heightened for countries contemplating postponing planned elections and putting on hold one of the core values of democracy: the right to elect public representatives.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in his recent report on the impacts of COVID-19, stressed that “this crisis cries out for leadership, solidarity, transparency, trust and cooperation. This is no time for self-interest, recrimination, censorship, obfuscation or politicization. The tone set by leaders at the national and local level matters.”

Electoral planning during response

Thus far, nearly 50 countries worldwide have postponed elections while some 15 countries have decided to maintain the electoral timeline despite the pandemic. In the Arab region, more than eleven electoral events are expected over the next twelve months (see chart 1). Some of these elections are critical to ongoing peace processes and will determine the fate of millions of people living in very harsh circumstances; and others are a response to the civil unrest and uprisings that plagued several countries before COVID-19.  All are a critical means of establishing the sort of inclusive and responsive governance which can deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The decision to postpone elections can have significant political implications, particularly for the Arab States region where the pandemic and the resulting delay in elections can compound existing crises and spiral the region into further instability.

Holding elections during a pandemic not only poses risks to public safety, but it can also undermine the legitimacy of the outcome with low and uneven turnout. Eligible voters — especially the elderly and those with underlying conditions —are less likely to go out and vote. With an eligible voting population of 116 million, elections during a pandemic, especially if held without the required safety precautions, can have dire consequences for the region.

As part of its overall response to COVID-19, UNDP is providing guidance to governments and electoral authorities in the Arab region and beyond on ensuring electoral decisions are well informed, take all risks into account and are based on assessments of the impact of the pandemic on each phase of the electoral process. It is essential that electoral authorities put in place the necessary measures to protect the health and safety of the public while ensuring the integrity of the process.

UNDP recognizes the opportunity the pandemic response presents for building inclusive and resilient societies and has identified the following considerations towards that goal: 

1. Ensure inclusive decision-making: Given the real or perceived concerns around the potential abuse of the expanded executive authority exercised by governments, there should be inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive discussions leading to decisions on planned elections. It should not simply be about a change of date. Also, a broad-based consensus is of crucial importance around the parameters of an extended mandate of the government or legislature, and the scope of its efforts during any extension period. Inclusive dialogues with stakeholders create potential for enhanced social cohesion and a shared vision for the future. These discussions should also include debate on needed electoral reforms including legal reform, institutional strengthening and measures to enhance the participation of women, youth, religious and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Such open and transparent dialogue, and consensus among stakeholders - legislatures, political parties, election administrators, local authorities, security forces, CSOs, religious leaders, women and youth groups - will not only help alleviate public concerns over potential abuse of authority and contribute to building public trust in governments, but it will also contribute to the overall peace and stability in the region. Women should be front and center in these dialogues and in all decision-making around elections; and it is the responsibility of electoral authorities to ensure that the implications on women of any COVID-19 response measures to elections are considered before they are proposed and adopted.
2. Keep resource allocations in mind: COVID-19 is devastating economies and depleting national budgets the world over. While public health is priority number one, governments also need to be cognizant of the need to allocate the necessary budget for elections.  It is highly likely that without secured budgets for elections, there is potential for governments to further delay the holding of elections post-COVID-19. This may lead to real or perceived public fears of budgetary constraints being used by governments as reasons to hold on to power beyond the pandemic. This will not only erode the already low levels of public trust in governments, but it can also lead to further escalation of existing political tensions and conflicts. Therefore, consideration should be given to weighing the investment in elections at a time of potential austerity and economic downturn due to COVID-19 against the cost of political unrest, instability and conflict.
3. Prioritize public health and safety in each phase of the electoral process: Despite the risks COVID-19 presents, some governments may proceed with elections as scheduled. In these cases, it is critical that the adopted solutions mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the electoral process, especially on the key elements of electoral operations that rely heavily on direct human contact. There is also a particular need to consider implications of exposure of elderly voters and poll workers. Consequently, arrangements must take into consideration the political and technical implications, for example, virtual campaign rallies by parties and candidates, remote solutions like postal voting, electronic voting, proxy voting, and mobile voting. These decisions should be based on accurate, timely and evidence-based information and data from all sectors.

UNDP is working closely with governments and electoral authorities in the Arab States region, and beyond, on these issues, with a view to supporting national approaches to the elections cycle which robustly take public health risks into account while also seizing the importance of elections for the region's continued effort to move towards resilient and inclusive societies.

Kindly, check the recording of the first session of the webinar series on COVID-19 & Elections, initiated by the Electoral Support Project for the Arab Region for electoral authorities and the broader election community. Please, follow @voteArabStates to learn about upcoming webinars