党的十五大报告在论述“扩大基层民主”时,特别强调“城乡基层政权机关和基层群众性自治组织都要健全民主选举制度”。这就表明,公开、自由和公平的选举不仅是民主的精髓,而且是民主不可或缺的必要条件。选举的力量在于,它是民主的制度保障。选举制度有直接选举与间接选举之分,民主政治有直接民主与间接民主之别。 When discussing the issue of “expanding grassroots democracy,” the 15th CPC National Congress report particularly emphasized that “the grassroots-level government organs at both the urban and rural areas and grassroots mass autonomous organizations should improve their democratic election system.” This shows that open, free and fair elections are not only the essence of democracy, but also an indispensable condition for democracy. The strength of the election is that it is a democratic system guarantee. The election system has direct election and indirect election, democratic politics has direct democracy and indirect democracy.