Access to Justice and Electoral Integrity Therefore, from this perspective, access to justice is the keystone of the rule of law. The justice system must create the mechanisms and structures to guarantee equal protection of the law for everyone, to process claims within a reasonable time and to do so with independence and impartiality. By establishing a legal procedure to solve disputes and claims – known and respected by all political actors – the justice system, particularly the electoral courts at the heart of efforts to hold governments and contestants accountable, plays a central role in managing political turmoil, establishing government authority (legitimacy), improving the quality of governance and fighting against corruption and impunity. Nonetheless, it also serves as a catalyst for advancing the rule of law in a given society, as contestants and stakeholders understand that the law is the single means of addressing a conflict or controversy. An electoral process with inclusion, transparency, accountability and security or, in other words, an electoral process with integrity, can only be guaranteed by a justice system that can: • Increase the credibility and legitimacy of electoral outcomes by providing an instance to process complaints and protect rights linked to political participation. • Enhance the conditions for winners to accept their victory graciously and losers to agree on future opportunities to participate in electoral competitions –and possibly win. 10