16. The ban of political parties as collective entities, although not so frequent in democracies, is a relatively well-known topic and almost all democratic systems recognise and regulate some form of ban of the parties that are perceived as a threat to the democratic system. The Venice Commission and ODIHR have addressed this issue, inter alia, in the Joint Guidelines on Political Party Regulation.13 The issue was also specifically addressed by the Venice Commission, in the Guidelines on prohibition and dissolution of political parties and analogous measures.14 The Venice Commission has also been repeatedly called in the past to assess legislation providing ineligibility to be elected in the case of electoral and criminal offenders. It has also provided a comparative report on the subject.15 The Venice Commission expressed the view that the withdrawal of the right to serve as a representative due to criminal conviction for serious offences should be considered as a means of preserving democracy and the voters’ trust in it.16 The case under consideration is, however, different. The individuals affected by the draft law have not been convicted of any criminal offence. The Venice Commission and ODIHR are therefore called to assess a draft law which introduces restrictions that will be effective during ten years after the termination or abolition of the martial law introduced on 24 February 2022, on the ground of membership in a prohibited, to the right to be elected of certain individuals who – at the time of the introduction of martial law– were holding an elective office for that party.