Strengthening Democracy Through EU Election Observation
Elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and the European Union is committed to supporting democratic processes worldwide by observing elections and help ensure they are transparent and credible. Election observation is an integral part of the EU’s foreign policy, reflecting its commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the world. It contributes to strengthening democratic institutions, building public confidence in electoral processes, deterring fraud and reducing intimidation and violence, while reinforcing other key EU foreign policy objectives, such as peacebuilding.
Key Highlights:
- Global Leader: The European Union has established itself as a leading force in international election observation, providing comprehensive, independent and impartial assessment of all aspects of the electoral process.
- Strategic Deployment: Mission members are deployed upon invitation from third countries, following a decision by the High Representative/Vice-President. Each mission is led by a Member of the European Parliament, serving as the Chief Observer.
- Worldwide Engagement: On average, the EU conducts around 30 electoral missions per year, with an annual budget of approximatively €45 million.
- Global Impact: EU Election Observation Missions are deployed across the globe – from Africa to the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, excluding areas covered by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Our Methodology
EU Election Observation Missions (EU EOMs) aim to assist partner countries in holding elections of a high standard: by observing the electoral process in all its aspects - from media coverage and the legal framework, to voting and tabulation - EU EOMs provide an independent and impartial assessment. Their long-term approach allows for a comprehensive analysis and tailored recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the electoral process. Then, through the EU Election Follow-up Missions, the state of play of the implementation of recommendations made by EOMs ahead of future elections is assessed.
Deployment of Election Observation Missions – how does it work?
- Defining Priority Countries: Each year, the European External Action Service (EEAS), in consultation with the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), EU Member States, and the European Parliament, identifies the countries that will be prioritised for election observation missions. On this basis, the High Representative makes the final decision on the annual priority list and the missions to be deployed.
- Deployment Process: EU Election Observation Missions are carried out in partner countries upon invitation of the country holding the election. The deployment of a mission is based on the assessment made by the relevant EU Exploratory Mission, sent to a country to evaluate the usefulness, advisability, and feasibility of an EU EOM.
What if an EOM is not possible? If the three above-mentioned conditions for an EOM are not met, but it is nevertheless deemed valuable to follow an election process, the EU may deploy an Election Expert Mission (EEM): these smaller missions, typically comprising two to four experts, are deployed several weeks before the election. EEMs focus on technical aspects of the electoral process and, upon conclusion, submit a final report to national authorities with recommendations to improve the electoral framework.
The Database of EU Election Missions provides easy access to final reports, mission statements and press releases of all EU missions since 2000 – around 300 reports as of today, and many more to come!
The role of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments
In the European Commission, the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments is responsible for the administrative, financial, logistics and security aspects of electoral missions. Working closely with the European Parliament and Member States, once the decision to deploy an EOM is taken, FPI ensures the operational and security needs of the mission through external contractors and recruits each mission member: the Deputy Chief Observer, the Core Team of analysts and the Long-Term and Short-Term observers.
Get involved! To streamline the selection of EU EOM observers and Core Team Analysts, and to make the process more transparent, impartial and uniform, the EU has developed an EOM Roster: all candidates interested in participating in an EOM have to register their candidature in the EOM Roster.
Calls for candidates for EU Election Observation Missions and related trainings
Curious about EU EOMs? Find out more here!