The proposals were prepared by an inter-ministerial working group established by order of the CEC Chair on 15 June 2026. The group comprised representatives from the Central Electoral Commission, the Council for Audiovisual Media, the Centre for Strategic Communication and Countering Disinformation, the ADEPT and Promo-LEX associations, and International IDEA.
Why new rules were needed
CEC Chair Anzhelika Karaman highlighted the need to establish a clear and effective legislative framework for regulating online election advertising.
“In recent years, online advertising has clearly gone beyond the scope of traditional election campaigns conducted by electoral rivals. Although the legislation already contains certain provisions in this area, we need clearer rules and effective tools for their implementation,” she stated.
The initiative also takes into account the conclusions of the Constitutional Court, as set out in a statement adopted in the context of Resolution No. 12 of 16 October 2025 on the confirmation of the results of the parliamentary elections held on 28 September 2025.
The Court highlighted the need to expand the powers of state bodies in relation to online platforms and to establish effective mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of electoral processes in the digital environment.
What changes are being proposed
The proposals under discussion provide for the strengthening of mechanisms for regulating and monitoring online communication and electoral advertising, as well as the development of cooperation between the competent authorities.
A separate focus is on creating more effective tools to ensure the transparency of online communications and advertising during election campaigns.
The drafters are also drawing on European standards in the areas of safeguarding democratic processes in the digital environment, transparency of online advertising, the accountability of online platforms, the protection of personal data and the use of artificial intelligence systems.
During the discussion, participants assessed the proposed regulations for their compatibility with current legislation and provided comments and recommendations for refining the document.
On the same day (4 September), the Central Election Commission announced the start of work on amendments to the Electoral Code No. 325/2022 and other legislative acts aimed at enhancing the transparency and integrity of election campaigns. Proposals regarding the draft legislation are being accepted until 14 September.
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