Focus 9 Fight against electoral fraud and corruption. Competitive elections are indispensable for the survival and the strengthening of democracy, but their success and pertinence demand that a certain number of conditions should be met. Indeed, to ensure a reasonable quality to any election, it is necessary that the basic fundamental principles that sustain it are followed. For example, it needs a clear, fair and equitable rules; it must always be, at least in most cases, the best that wins. It is also necessary to ensure that adequate measures are taken to dissuade in a credible way possible defrauders as well as to identify and punish any electoral defrauders. To ensure that the above mentioned principles are followed, one should ensure that: 1. The rules of the game are clear, fair and equitable and cannot be unilaterally amended, especially for the interest of a party; 2. In most cases, it is the best who wins: in democracy, the best is the one who presents the best message and offers(by the means he has) the best chances to improve the livelihood of the citizens, and not the one who has more money or other artifices to be converted into electoral victory if precautions are not taken. Thus, it is necessary to: Ensure the minimum access to the media to every candidate, regardless of his revenue; Reduce the possibility to use money to influence the electorate, for instance, by forbidding the distribution of goods and other liberalities during the election period; 166