3.2 Problems and challenges related to operationalization of the electoral process 3.2.1 Political dimension of managing elections The model of association of the political class(representatives of political parties and/or candidates for the diverse elections) to the functioning of the electoral commission – called“level of politicization of the electoral commission” or“political dimension” of the management of elections – is also a challenge that needs to be taken up seriously when we decide to use a commission to run elections in a country. This factor – level of politicization of the electoral commission—is important because it can have an impact on the autonomy of the commission, at the level of responsibility of its actors, on the behaviour of political actors vis-à-vis the electoral results, and especially on the neutrality of the commission and its members. The real question that the political dimension is posing for the management of elections is the following: what should be the nature of the association and at what level should political actors(or their representatives) be associated with the functioning of the electoral commission in order to ensure the following three results:(a) gain the confidence of partisan actors(parties and candidates),(b) gain the confidence of citizens, and(c) ensure a reasonable level of credibility to elections. Given the fact that only the political management of elections is discussed here, only the first point, i.e. factors susceptible of influencing the level of political actors' trust in the management of electoral commission, will be discussed in this section. Given the importance of elections for partisan actors, the minimum requirement from an institution in charge of the management of elections, and moreover from an electoral commission, is that it 148