BISHKEK, 4 November 2025 – The leader of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s election observation mission to the 30 November early parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan has been in Bishkek for the past two days to prepare for the full deployment of observers later this month. The findings from this pre-election visit will help inform the observation mission and highlight any potential areas of concern.
Claude Haagen (Luxembourg), Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, meeting representatives of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda, 3 November 2025, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanClaude Haagen, a parliamentarian from Luxembourg, who has been appointed by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observers, held meetings on Monday and Tuesday with a wide range of interlocutors to gain valuable insights into the pre-election environment.
Haagen held extensive discussions with representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s election administration, political parties and candidates, civil society, and the media. He also met with the OSCE PA’s election observation partners from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), who are already deployed on the ground.
“The past two days in Bishkek have given me a valuable opportunity to listen and learn from those directly involved in the electoral process,” said Special Co-ordinator Haagen. “I have met with a wide range of interlocutors, and these meetings have been both constructive and enlightening. They have given me a much clearer sense of how preparations are progressing and of the atmosphere in the country ahead of the elections. I have greatly appreciated the openness and engagement shown throughout our discussions. My focus now is on ensuring that, when our observers arrive, we are ready to deliver a comprehensive, balanced, and fair assessment of the electoral process.”
Claude Haagen (Luxembourg), Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, meeting with Director General of the National TV and Radio Broadcasting Corporation, 4 November 2025, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanHaagen has long been active in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, including in promoting democratic governance and election observation across the OSCE region. He expressed his appreciation to all the interlocutors who took the time to meet and share their perspectives.
Haagen noted that the significance of these elections is reflected in the participation of more than 90 OSCE PA observers, as well as of partners from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in the upcoming election observation mission to Kyrgyzstan.
For information on previous election observation missions to Kyrgyzstan, please click here.
Photos from the visit are available in the Flickr album.
