23. The Venice Commission has, in principle, endorsed the possibility of postponing elections due to the emergency as there is a risk that fundamental electoral principles will be undermined during a state of emergency.14 It has also recognised that there is no general principle to avoid elections during the state of emergency and postpone them until the situation is ordinary, normal again.15 Nevertheless, it emphasised that suspension of electoral rights is only permitted to the extent required by the situation. Different circumstances have different impacts on other fundamental rights and freedoms, the level of fear, and the extent of factual plurality in society. A pluralistic and democratic discussion is more easily possible in case of natural disasters or pandemics; as a rule, democratic elections are excluded in case of wide armed conflict.