However, contrary to the recommendations made by the Venice Commission and the ODIHR in the 2016 Joint Opinion, the draft law maintains a higher threshold for electoral alliances. Moreover, the threshold for electoral alliances has been increased to 8% in case of an alliance with two political parties, 9% for three parties, and 10% for four political parties. Graduated thresholds are not contrary to European standards, though they are rare, but they complicate the system for distribution of mandates. Given the great emphasis on stable majorities in the current Electoral Code and its codification in the Constitution, one may assume that this is also the aim for the graduated thresholds. However, no justification is given for the amendment, and the necessity of the increased threshold for coalitions is not clear given that the general threshold is lowered. While the state has a wide margin of appreciation in balancing fair representation with government stability, thresholds should nonetheless be justified in the specific political and institutional context. In the 2016 Joint Opinion, “[t]he Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR recall that proportional systems are intended to create a representative parliament and any modifications to this goal should be implemented with care and out of clear need.”