News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Polish presidential election managed well despite legal uncertainties, but intolerance and public media bias tarnished campaign, international observers say
Publishing date: 29 June 2020
WARSAW, 29 June 2020 – Poland’s presidential election was administered professionally despite the lack of legal clarity as solutions were sought to hold the election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign was characterised by intolerant rhetoric and a public broadcaster that failed in its duty to offer balanced and impartial coverage, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today...
ODIHR opens special election assessment mission in North Macedonia
Publishing date: 22 June 2020
SKOPJE, 22 June 2020- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 15 July 2020 early parliamentary elections in North Macedonia. The deployment follows an official invitation from the authorities of North Macedonia...
Serbian parliamentary elections well run, but ruling party dominance and lack of media diversity limited voters’ choice, international observers say
Publishing date: 22 June 2020
BELGRADE, 22 June 2020 – While contestants in Serbia’s parliamentary elections were able to campaign and fundamental freedoms were respected, voter choice was limited by the governing party’s overwhelming advantage and the promotion of government policies by most major media outlets, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a statement of their preliminary findings and conclusions today...
ODIHR opens special election assessment mission in Poland
Publishing date: 16 June 2020
WARSAW, 16 June 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 28 June presidential election in Poland. The deployment follows an official invitation from the Polish authorities...
ODIHR opens special election assessment mission in Serbia
Publishing date: 8 June 2020
BELGRADE, 8 June 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a special election assessment mission (SEAM) for the 21 June parliamentary elections in Serbia. The deployment follows an official invitation from the Serbian authorities...
Tajikistan parliamentary elections 2020: ODIHR observation mission final report
Publishing date: 27 May 2020
ODIHR recommendations on Tajikistan 2020 elections ODIHR final report on the 2020 Tajikistan parliamentary elections The 2020 parliamentary elections in Tajikistan took place in a tightly controlled environment in which there was no space left for a pluralistic political debate and voters did not
Slovakia parliamentary elections 2020: ODIHR election assessment mission final report
Publishing date: 15 May 2020
ODIHR recommendations on Slovakia 2020 elections ODIHR election observation mission recommends Slovakia, among other things, to make greater efforts to help persons with disabilities vote The 2020 parliamentary elections in Slovakia were held in a pluralistic environment with respect for