Political participation is foundation of the democracy. Considering that nowadays the whole world is dealing with a great decline in political participation, it makes sense to consider whether, in order to ensure the democracy and the legitimacy of the elected government, it is justified to implement compulsory voting in the country's political system. The Institute requires citizens to participate in elections, which ensures good representation in the Parliament and reflects voter preferences. The question of whether compulsory voting is justifiable for increased voter participation in elections is a matter of debate. If the right to vote is a right, is it justifiable for the state to demand the implementation of the right from its citizen? Whether compulsory voting is justifiable depends on the individual understanding of voting as a right versus duty and the balance between benefits of individual freedom and high voter turnout. The master's thesis reveals on the case of two groups (countries with the currently established and countries with abolished compulsory voting) whether compulsory voting is a legitimate instrument for increasing voting turnout in a democratic system.
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