News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
ODIHR working with Albania on planned election law amendments
Publishing date: 20 January 2012
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will provide expertise to Albania’s Special Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform, including through expert team visits to Tirana, in 2012...
Poland’s parliamentary elections pluralistic and democratic, but some concerns over late legal amendments, says ODIHR final report
Publishing date: 19 January 2012
Poland’s 9 October 2011 parliamentary elections were pluralistic and democratic, although late changes to electoral laws impacted on the stability of the legal framework, the final report released by ODIHR on 18 January 2012 concludes...
Kazakhstan’s parliamentary vote, though well administered, did not meet key democratic principles
Publishing date: 16 January 2012
ASTANA, 16 January 2012 – Notwithstanding the government’s stated ambition to strengthen Kazakhstan’s democratic processes and conduct elections in line with international standards, the early parliamentary vote still did not meet fundamental principles of democratic elections, international observers concluded in a statement issued today...
OSCE/ODIHR final report on Russian Duma elections says contest ‘slanted in favour of the ruling party’
Publishing date: 13 January 2012
A report released by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 12 January 2012 said that, although December’s Russian State Duma elections were technically well-administered, the contest was marked by the convergence of the state and the governing party...
Bulgaria’s October elections characterized by respect for rights and freedoms, but allegations of vote-buying underscore need for reform
Publishing date: 5 January 2012
Bulgaria’s presidential and municipal elections in October were generally characterized by a respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, but pervasive allegations of vote-buying underscored the need for continued reform, the final report released by ODIHR on 5 January 2012 concludes...
Albania’s Electoral Code thorough foundation for elections, improvements still required, say ODIHR and Venice Commission
Publishing date: 20 December 2011
Albania’s Electoral Code provides a thorough technical foundation for democratic elections, according to a Joint Opinion by ODIHR and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission released on 19 December 2011. However, it says that recent experience in the implementation of the Code since its adoption in 2008 shows that a number of improvements are still required...
OSCE/ODIHR to monitor parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan
Publishing date: 13 December 2011