According to the established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (hereafter, “ECtHR” or “the Court”), Article 3 of Protocol 1 refers not only to the positive obligation on Contracting States to organise free elections using secret ballot, but also guarantees the individual right to vote and to stand for election, although this is not explicitly stated in Article 3. In the Court’s opinion, universal and equal suffrage is included in this right (ECtHR, judgment of 2 March 1987, Mathieu-Mohin and Clerfayt, series A 113, § 54). As holders of subjective rights, individuals may draw on this provision directly.