Quality of Democratic Election Process during the COVID-19 Pandemic : The Schedler’s Chain of Democratic Choice Perspective

Abstract

This paper provides an assessment of the possibility of maintaining the democratic quality of the electoral process held under extraordinary conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic� This is part of the considerations on the quality of democracy and its resistance to crisis conditions� The study was conducted using Andreas Schedler’s Chain of Democratic Choice� It covers both a general perspective and a case study of the election of the President of Poland, lasting from March to May 2020 and finally and effectively interrupted only on May 6 – 4 days before the vote� The adopted perspective makes it possible to identify and assess the potential and actual threats to maintaining the democratic nature of the election process at all its stages� Possible technical solutions that may counteract the reduction of the democratic level of the election process at individual stages have also been indicated� — ABSTRAKT —