Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Radmila Šekerinska (c), the head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 6 May parliamentary elections in Armenia, speaking during a press conference in Yerevan, 7 May 2012. (OSCE/Thomas Rymer)

ODIHR deploys election observation missions to OSCE participating States to assess the implementation of OSCE commitments relating to elections. The Office also conducts technical-assistance projects and legislative reviews.

Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), seen here at the OSCE Summit in Astana in December 2010, visited Washington DC to present the final report of the Limited Election Observation Mission for last year’s general elections in the United States.

OSCE/ODIHR presents recommendations from final report on 2012 general elections in the United States

Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), was in Washington DC from 21 to 23 May 2013 to present the final report of the Limited Election Observation Mission for last year’s general elections in the United States...

ODIHR has translated a number of publications into Arabic to serve as a basis for the exchange of good practices and transfer of knowledge from the OSCE region to the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation.

OSCE/ODIHR shares expertise with citizen election observer groups in Tunisia

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provided expertise on effective election observation reporting at a workshop for leaders of Tunisian citizen election observer groups in Tunis on 16 and 17 May 2013...

File photo: The Albanian parliament in a plenary sitting.

OSCE/ODIHR opens observation mission for parliamentary elections in Albania

TIRANA, 15 May 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission to monitor the 23 June parliamentary elections in Albania...

A polling-commission member stamps ballots at a polling station in Sofia during parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, 12 May 2013.

Bulgaria’s elections competitive and well run, but trust in process is lacking, international observers say

SOFIA, 13 May 2013 – Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections on 12 May were held in a competitive environment, fundamental freedoms were respected, and the administration of elections was well managed, although the campaign was overshadowed by a number of incidents that diminished trust in state institutions and the process was negatively affected by pervasive allegations of vote-buying, international observers said in a statement today...

Campaign posters ahead of Monaco’s parliamentary elections, 10 February 2013.

OSCE/ODIHR report says Monaco’s parliamentary elections administered professionally, but some aspects of the legal framework could benefit from further review

The parliamentary elections in the Principality of Monaco on 10 February 2013 took place in a competitive environment and were administered professionally. Candidate registration was inclusive and the campaign was vibrant and competitive. However, further steps could be taken to bring the electoral process closer in line with OSCE commitments, concludes the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)...

Voters at a polling station in Armenia, 18 February 2013.

OSCE/ODIHR final report on Armenia’s presidential election recommends measures to increase integrity of electoral process

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 18 February 2013 presidential election in Armenia concludes that though the elections were generally well-administered and characterized by a respect for fundamental freedoms, more can be done to increase public trust in the integrity of the electoral process...

OSCE/ODIHR based an Election Assessment Mission in the Czech capital Prague to observe the presidential election in January 2013.

Czech presidential election competitive and professionally organized, several aspects remain to be addressed, concludes OSCE/ODIHR final report

The presidential election in the Czech Republic in January 2013 was competitive, professionally organized and enjoyed a high level of public confidence, says the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) released on 30 April 2013. The report suggests further steps to improve some aspects of the electoral process, including candidate registration and campaign finance...