The Venice Commission notes that, alongside legal responses derived from administrative, civil and criminal law – the latter to be conceived as ultima ratio, a number of non-binding and self-regulatory instruments may also play a useful role in preventing hate speech in the electoral context. In line with Council of Europe practice, political parties, media and online platforms may consider adopting voluntary codes of conduct, internal ethical guidelines or training initiatives aimed at promoting responsible communication. Such measures, based on autonomy and self-regulation, do not restrict legitimate political debate but can help foster an environment in which electoral competition develops in accordance with democratic values and respect for human dignity. For instance, on 8 April 2024, all European political parties signed a Code of Conduct126 for the 2024 European Parliament elections, which includes commitments on refraining from disseminating, posting, or promoting content that incites violence or hate speech.