From the total blackout two days before the elections to full freedom of expression, take a tour of the European legislation on the period of electoral silence.
Periods of silence in the political campaign for a certain period before the elections, or electoral “purdahs”, are common in EU Member States. Are bans affect different media, who can no longer share information about the candidates or comment on opinion polls. The goal is to give voters a period of reflection without being influenced by external elements.
According to a Parliament study European, most voters already know in advance Who are you going to vote for?, but younger people, without established voting habits, are more likely to make a last-minute decision. In some countries, The decision is made in the days before to the vote or even on the same day. Among the countries with the latest decision-making are Finland (30%), Sweden (33%) and the Netherlands (42%).
Of the twenty-seven countries in the bloc, nine do not impose any restrictions to the candidates’ speech in the media or to the commentary in opinion polls: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden. In the remaining eighteen, the media involved, the type of content and the duration of the period of silence vary.
The strictest countries: Spain, Italy, Portugal and Slovakia
In Spain, there will be a vote to elect 61 deputies next Sunday, June 9. The Spaniards will have access to the latest estimates of the surveys until Tuesday June 4, five days before the electionswhile the candidates will be able to express themselves in the media and on social networks until the eve of the elections, that is, Friday at midnight, respecting 24 hours of reflection day.
In Italia They will vote for their 76 members of the European Parliament on June 8 and 9. They have the longest reflection period, since the equal treatment law prohibits sharing the results of the opinion polls two weeks before the elections, starting May 25. All television, radio and online media must also respect a period of silence on the elections starting at midnight on Thursday, June 6.
In Portugalopinion polls, candidate statements and any content related to the elections may not be disseminated in any media after “midnight of the second day prior to the day designated for the elections”, that is, Friday at midnight to vote on Sunday, June 9.
In Slovakiahe period of silence also began on Thursday for the vote on Saturday, June 8. From that moment on, all media outlets are prohibited from “sending or publishing information about candidates, political parties or coalitions in their favor or against them by word, writing, sound or image.”
24 hours of silence, the average reflection period
In Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Romania, a standard of 24 hours of silence on content related to elections and opinion polls, although with some variations in its application.
In Cyprus, since May 26, the publication of opinion polls has not been allowed due to the seven-day silence period imposed on them. While in most countries the ban is imposed on all media, in Greece it does not affect online publications. In Ireland, is not regulated by an “election law” per se, but a silence period is imposed in the Broadcasting Authority Guidelines. In Romaniathe silence period does not apply from midnight the day before the elections, but from 7 in the morning of the same day.
In France, a “période de réserve” prohibits senior officials, such as ministers or other public agents, from expressing their opinion or issuing statements approximately one week before the elections (May 27), with some exceptions. Candidates can campaign until Saturday at midnight.
Restrictions only for polls of opinion
In Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg and Slovenia, candidates can campaign and speak in the media; however, the results of opinion polls cannot be made public at least on the day of the European elections: This is the case of Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia.
The period is longer for Czech Republicwhere the polls will not be available from June 5 for a vote that will take place on Friday, June 7 until the following day, and in Luxembourgopinion polls are prohibited five days before the elections, that is, June 4.
Limitations and electoral reform
Los silence periods can be difficult to apply from one country to anotherespecially in the era of social networks and globalized connections. In fact, surveys can be posted online from another country and are therefore not regulated. It is also difficult to regulate and moderate social networks, where, even if the candidates do not express themselves, misinformation can predominate.
The European Parliament attempted to provide more clarity by voting on a resolution in May 2022, in which called for electoral reforml at the European Union level to unify the rules on the electoral period and silence, as well as to implement transnational lists. This reform must be evaluated by EU Member States and is unlikely to be approved quickly.
