Lawful Transfers of Power

This sub-sub-indicator assesses the extent to which transition of power is subject to the law. This is based on the following criteria: the extent to which the chief executive (President, Prime Minister, etc.) was elected through a clean process and in accordance with rules and procedures set forth in the constitution, with coup d'états penalised; the extent to which local government officials are elected through a clean process; the extent to which there are detailed election results readily available for public scrutiny; the extent to which in practice proper checks and balances exist to maintain public confidence in the electoral process and the extent to which people can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured; the extent to which in practice, the electoral appeals court is free of political influence in its application of power.