Author(s): Svitlana Shestakova, Svitlana Serohina, Iryna Rudnieva, Valentyn Halunko, Oleksandra Soroka
The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the exercise of citizens' suffrage as one of the main principles of the electoral process in Ukraine and foreign countries. The essence of the exercise of citizens' suffrage is revealed both in its general meaning and in the context of differentiation of suffrage into active and passive. The historical aspects of enshrining suffrage in current international legal instruments are highlighted. The legal bases for the exercise of citizens' suffrage in some foreign countries, in particular Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Ireland, have been determined. The content of the relevant norms of the current Ukrainian legislation is highlighted, which determine the basic principles of exercise of suffrage by citizens of Ukraine. The basic requirements of the electoral legislation of most European countries for the implementation of both active and passive suffrage are identified, which include: (1) reaching the appropriate age (age qualification), which is determined by constitutional norms, the Electoral Code or a special election law; (2) citizenship of the respective country; (3) full legal capacity of the person. Particular attention is paid to determining the grounds for deprivation of citizens’ suffrage, indicating the impossibility of their implementation.