What we do

Elections

Recognizing that democratic elections form the basis for legitimate government, the OSCE observes elections throughout its 57 participating States. It also provides technical assistance to improve the legislative and administrative framework for elections in specific countries.

Some OSCE field operations carry out elections-related activities, including training for election commission members, media and police as well as voter education initiatives. They do not, however, take part in election observation missions in their countries of operation.

A man checks the voters list outside a polling station in Madrid. The people of Spain voted in early parliamentary elections on November 20, 2011. (OSCE/Michael Meyer)

OSCE/ODIHR presents electoral recommendations in Spain

A team from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Madrid from 26 to 29 November 2012 to present the final report of the Election Assessment Mission for last year’s early parliamentary elections in Spain...

OSCE helps train Kazakhstan’s international election observers

On 29 November 2012, representatives of the OSCE Centre in Astana and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights spoke at a training seminar on international election observers’ rights and responsibilities organized by Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission...

Head of OSCE Presence in Albania meets coalition of domestic election observers

TIRANA, 27 November 2012 - The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, met today with representatives of the Domestic Observers Coalition to discuss planned activities in the run-up to the 2013 parliamentary elections...
A participant at a two-day training course for journalists on elections coverage, Tsakhkadzor, 21 November 2012.

OSCE, EU enhance Armenian journalists’ skills to cover elections

TSAKHKADZOR, Armenia, 21 November 2012 –– The role of the media in elections, the importance of impartial and quality reporting on elections and the techniques to directly involve voters through electronic and social media will be discussed at a training workshop that started today in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia...
A billboard outside the Dutch Parliament displaying the election posters of all the political parties participating in the 12 September 2012 early parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. The Hague, 3 September 2012.

OSCE/ODIHR report says Netherlands early parliamentary elections open and pluralistic, recommends improvements to legal framework

The early parliamentary elections in the Netherlands on 12 September 2012 were conducted in an open and pluralistic manner, but the legal framework could be brought more fully in line with OSCE commitments, concludes the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) released on 16 November 2012...
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