The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) 1966, Article 25(b), addressing the right to participate in public life, is the primary reference, whichidentifies five basic premises of electoral democracy: periodic and genuine elections, universal and equal suffrage, and secret voting:
“Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions:…
(b) To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors”.