10 GROSARU v. ROMANIA JUDGMENT 2. The Report on electoral law and electoral administration in Europe 23. The Report on electoral law and electoral administration in Europe (“Synthesis study on recurrent challenges and problematic issues”) was adopted by the Council for Democratic Elections at its 17th meeting (Venice, 8-9 June 2006) and by the Venice Commission at its 67th plenary session (Venice, 9-10 June 2006). The relevant parts thereof read as follows: XII. Election appeals and accountability for electoral violations “167. Complaint and appeals procedures must be open at least to each voter, candidate, and party. A reasonable quorum may, however, be imposed for appeals by voters on the results of election (CDL-AD(2002)023rev, para. 99). In order to comply with international standards, the complaint and appeals procedures should clearly provide the following rights for voters, candidates, and political parties: the rights to file a complaint, to present evidence in support of the complaint, to a public and fair hearing on the complaint, to an impartial and transparent proceedings on the complaint [sic], to an effective and speedy remedy, as well as to appeal an appellate court if a remedy is denied (see for example CDL-AD(2004)027, para. 111). In practice, however, these rights are not always respected. At times, even credible complaints are left without any legal redress. 168. Due to different legal and political traditions, a variety of procedures are used in the resolution of election disputes. In many established democracies in western Europe (like France, Germany, Italy, or the United Kingdom) election appeals are heard by ordinary administrative and judicial bodies operating under special procedures. In contrast, in most emerging and new democracies in central and eastern Europe (and in other regions of the world), the responsibility for deciding on election complaints and appeals is shared between independent electoral commissions and ordinary courts ...” 3. The Report on electoral law and national minorities 24. The Report on electoral law and national minorities was adopted by the Venice Commission on 25 January 2000. It concerns the central element of public life – participation in a State’s elected bodies, especially the national legislature. Such participation is studied through electoral law and the possibilities it gives members of national minorities of being present in elected bodies. Rules of electoral law which provide for special representation of minorities are an exception. Of the States which replied to the Commission’s questionnaire, only three (Croatia, Romania and Slovenia) provided for the election of deputies intended to represent national minorities. According to the report, Romania is the country where the largest number of minority parties or organisations (treated as political parties for electoral purposes) took part in elections and have deputies and senators in the parliament.