ELECTION INTERFERENCE: TYPES AND THREATS TO MODERN DEMOCRACIES

Abstract

The article defines the concept of the term «election interference», its main types and peculiarities of application in democratic states. It is found that the process of electing the government by society is essential for the legitimacy of the entire political system, and any attempt to interfere with the election results or to prevent them is a violation of the laws of the state and international rules. Therefore, elections should be held freely, the electoral process should be free from interference by unauthorized persons or states (external interference), and voters should be able to form their opinions independently, without any inducement or manipulative interference. It is found that various ways of interfering in elections have always existed, but in the last decade they have become more prominent due to changes in the electoral environment, the proliferation of new means of communication and the growing number of illiberal actors interfering in the electoral process around the world. The authors determine that interference in elections violates the right to self-determination when voters cannot form an opinion on their own and can relate to both attempts and changes in the election results in general. It is proved that the potential for fraud overshadows elections in all countries, even in those where democracy has existed for a long time. The authors identify two forms of election interference, which they group into internal and external interference. The impetus for the development of the latter was provided by information and communication technologies, which made it possible for political actors to influence the electoral process outside their own country. It is proved that the most dangerous are mixed foreign and domestic interventions, the main purpose of which is to disorganize society, to introduce their supporters, adherents of their own ideology and interests into the ranks of the state leaders through the methods of information influence. Therefore, it is important for states to establish clear rules, develop tools and programs aimed at protecting elections and democratic systems that will respond to the growing threat of manipulation by domestic and foreign political actors.