Past Election Observations
Despite lack of level playing field in Russian elections, voters took advantage of right to express choice, observers say
MOSCOW, 5 December 2011 – Despite the lack of a level playing field during the Russian State Duma elections, voters took advantage of their right to express their choice, the international observers concluded in a statement issued today.
The observers noted that the preparations for the elections were technically well-administered across a vast territory, but were marked by a convergence of the state and the governing party, limited political competition and a lack of fairness.
Efthymiou leads OSCE election observers to Russian elections
MOSCOW, 1 December 2011 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou, appointed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis, to lead the short-term observers for the Russian elections on 4 December, arrived in Moscow with the team of experts on Monday as final preparations for the 2011 Election Observation Mission were being made.
Nearly 100 OSCE parliamentarians, joined by approximately 50 parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Nordic Council, will be deployed later this week to several areas of Russia, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhnij Novgorod, Rostov on Don, Vladivostock, Irkutsk, Yaroslavl, and Yekaterinburg.
Kyrgyzstan's presidential election was peaceful, but shortcomings underscore need to improve integrity of process
BISHKEK, 31 October 2011 - The presidential election in Kyrgyzstan was conducted in a peaceful manner, but shortcomings underscored that the integrity of the electoral process should be improved to consolidate democratic practice in line with international commitments, international observers concluded in a statement issued today.
The observers noted that candidate registration was inclusive, giving voters a wide choice, and the campaign was open and respected fundamental freedoms. This was overshadowed by significant irregularities on election day, especially during the counting and tabulation of votes. Measures should be taken to improve voter lists, to amend electoral legislation and strengthen the polling process.
MPs ready to observe elections in Kyrgyzstan
BISHKEK, 28 October 2011 – OSCE PA Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas today opened the election observation briefing in Bishkek as more than 40 parliamentarians from the OSCE, European Parliament and Council of Europe converged on the Kyrgyzstan capital ahead of Sunday's presidential election.
The vote on Sunday is the first presidential election to occur after the country's 2010 revolution and the creation of a new constitution that aims to build a parliamentary democracy in the Central Asian country.
Parliamentary observers applaud Tunisian elections
Vote shows country on its way to guaranteeing freedom, human rights, democracy
TUNIS, 24 October 2011 – International election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly today declared the first democratic elections in Tunisia as "free and fair" and praised the Tunisian people for their participation in the electoral process.
"The elections laid a first solid corner stone for future democratic institution-building," said Riccardo Migliori (Italy), who headed the OSCE PA observation mission. "In this early phase of democratic transition, only months after violent protests, we saw genuinely free elections. My colleagues and I could not witness any widespread or systematic irregularities."
Read the full post-election statement here. Watch the election observation news conference here.
Observers said the campaign for the Constituent National Assembly was marked by fair media coverage, giving voters a chance to make a genuine choice from the large number of party lists that included more than 11,000 candidates. Election day voting was seen as calm and orderly and the counting of votes generally viewed as honest.
