The legal nature of universal adult suffrage and its role in the establishment of democracy in the state

Abstract

It has been noted that the basic principles of holding democratic elections have been reflected in national legislation of many modern democracies, and the Ukrainian state was no exception. The Constitution of Ukraine states that elections to state power agencies and local self-governments are free and proceed on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. The study of these principles is important and is an integral part for studying the institution of electoral law.

One of the main places among the principles of elections has the principle of universal adult suffrage. Its main task within the electoral process is to provide citizens with access to participation in the formation of government agencies, and it has two sides of implementation: on election (active) and on the ballot on state positions (passive law of public elections). Consequently, the study of the legal nature of universal adult suffrage has both theoretical and practical value, since the legislative consolidation of the principle of universal adult suffrage and the state of its implementation provide the elections with a characteristic of democracy.

The principle of universal adult suffrage has a rich history of formation and transformation, which is directly connected with the processes of democratization of the state. The urgency of the study of the principle of universal adult suffrage is due to the fact that the content of this principle and the limits of its legislative regulation affect the determination of the number of persons eligible to take part in elections and the establishment of certain conditions regarding the participation of persons in the election process, and therefore it reflects the level of democracy of electoral processes in the state.

The legal nature of universal adult suffrage as one of the main constitutional principles of elections has been analyzed; its content and role in the formation of democracy in the state have been revealed. The influence of universal adult suffrage on the realization of eligibility for public office and elective franchise has been determined; the relationship of universal adult suffrage and democratic elections has been determined by the way of conducting analysis, in particular, the historical transformation of the principle of universal adult suffrage.