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Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law [MPECCoL]

Suffrage

Helle Krunke, Sune Klinge

Content type:
Encyclopedia entries
Product:
Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law [MPECCoL]
Article last updated:
February 2023

From: Oxford Constitutions (http://oxcon.ouplaw.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2023. All Rights Reserved.date: 11 December 2024

Subject(s):
Citizens' rights — Women's suffrage — Indigenous right to vote — Referenda — Universal suffrage — Democracy — Right to participate in elections

General Editors: Rainer Grote, Frauke Lachenmann, Rüdiger Wolfrum
Managing Editor: Martina Mantovani

1 The term ‘suffrage’, in its basic form, refers to the right to vote, normally in elections. However, a wider definition also includes the right to vote in referendums and to participate in citizens’ initiatives (direct democracy). Full suffrage refers to the right to vote (active suffrage) and the right to run for election (passive suffrage). Universal suffrage refers to the right to vote without any restrictions based on factors such as gender, ethnicity, and social status. ‘Franchise’ is another term for suffrage and covers the same concept. 2 In most...
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