OSCE parliamentarians to observe upcoming elections in Turkey

COPENHAGEN, 19 May 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic has designated Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (MP, Lithuania) as Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission for the 7 June vote. Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Delegation, which will include 50 MPs from 20 OSCE participating States.

“Ten months ago, during Turkey’s first direct presidential election, my fellow observers and I witnessed a vibrant political life but also noted some challenges that must be overcome,” said Aleknaite Abramikiene, who also served as OSCE Special Co-ordinator for the August 2014 observation mission. 

“I look forward to returning for this vote and hope to be able to report on progress that will allow Turkey to fully live up to the democratic aspirations of its people,” she added.

Sanchez Amor said: “There is no doubt that Turkey exists in a tough neighborhood. The real challenges the country faces make it all the more critical for Turkey to hold elections that adhere to democratic standards, and we hope that the people and authorities will rise to the occasion.”

OSCE parliamentary observers will deploy to polling stations across Turkey, working closely with long-term observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and in co-ordination with colleagues from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The mission will assess the elections against democratic commitments contained in the OSCE’s 1990 Copenhagen Document.

Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene serves as a Vice-President of the OSCE PA and is the Deputy Head of Lithuania’s Delegation to the Assembly. She previously served two terms as Rapporteur of the PA’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security. Aleknaite Abramikiene has been a member of the Lithuanian Parliament since 1992 and is a member of the Committees on European Affairs and Legal Affairs.

Ignacio Sanchez Amor serves as the PA’s Special Representative on OSCE Border Issues and is the Deputy Head of Spain’s Delegation to the Assembly. In his national Congress he is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Joint Committee on the European Union, among others. He has been a frequent participant in election observation missions, including to Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, Tajikistan and Ukraine.

OSCE PA staff assisting the parliamentarians in Turkey will include Secretary General Spencer Oliver, Director of Elections Andreas Baker, Director of Presidential Administration Roberto Montella, Director of Communications Richard Solash, Programme Officer Loic Poulain, Operations Officer Iryna Sabashuk and Research Fellow Anna Di Domenico.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has observed parliamentary elections in Turkey in 2011 as well as the presidential election in 2014.

Since 1993, more than 5,000 OSCE parliamentarians and staff have observed nearly 150 different elections in more than 30 countries.

For more information about the OSCE PA's election monitoring work, click here.