Tension between ‘rights’ and ‘democracy’ principle in highly political cases – ECtHR’s wide margin of appreciation on elections put into question by recent cases – Sejdic-Finci v Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH): ethnic criteria for standing in election violate Convention – Zornic v BiH: candidate’s exclusion from standing in election on account of her self-chosen identity violates P-12 – Mathieu-Mohin and Clerfayt v Belgium overruled? – ‘Integrative democratic tolerance’ approach: five legal and political principles to reconcile ‘rights’ and ‘democracy’ principle in highly political cases.