Unless otherwise noted, the term “threshold” is used, in this report, in the broader sense: as any mechanism affecting parties’ access to parliament. By the term “threshold” we usually understand the threshold in the formal sense: the legally prescribed minimum number of votes needed for a party to take part in distribution of parliamentary seats. However, while this is one of important mechanisms for barring parties from access to parliament, the legal threshold is but one of several mechanisms that can result in the same, or at least very similar, effect of restricting/enhancing opportunities for access. When measuring the issue of access contextually it would thus be insufficient to focus solely on legal thresholds; while keeping a legal threshold low, the same result of high level of exclusion could be achieved through many other mechanisms. They all are relevant, and are especially important from the perspective of inclusion/exclusion of minor and new parties. This report is thus concerned with all these mechanisms – the threshold in the broader sense.