Parliamentary Elections, 13 September 2021

Following an invitation from the Norwegian authorities to observe the 13 September parliamentary elections, and in accordance with its mandate, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) from 15 to 18 June. The NAM included Ana Rusu, ODIHR Senior Election Adviser, and Keara Castaldo, ODIHR Election Adviser.

The purpose of the NAM was to assess the pre-electoral environment and preparations for the elections. Based on this assessment, the NAM should recommend whether to deploy an ODIHR observation activity for the forthcoming elections and, if so, what type of activity best meets the identified needs. Due to the global health emergency and consecutive introduction of restrictions on cross-border travel throughout the OSCE region, the NAM was conducted remotely, using the means of information and communication technologies. Meetings were held with officials from state institutions and with representatives of political parties, media, and civil society. A full list of meetings is annexed to this report.