COPENHAGEN, 7 April 2026 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will deploy approximately 135 observers, including 109 parliamentarians from 38 countries, to Hungary for the parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 April 2026.
Armenian parliamentarian Sargis Khandanyan, appointed by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observers, and British parliamentarian Rupa Huq, appointed by the OSCE PA President as Head of the OSCE PA’s delegation of observers, will open the joint parliamentary briefing programme on Friday 10 April.
The observation will take place within the framework of a joint International Election Observation Mission (IEOM), bringing together more than 350 observers on election day from the OSCE PA, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The OSCE PA team will work closely with ODIHR’s Head of Mission Eoghan Murphy (Ireland), its core team of 15 international experts based in Budapest, 18 long-term observers deployed throughout the country since 26 February, and around 200 short-term observers to be deployed for election day. The PA delegation will also co-operate with the 32-member delegation from PACE, headed by Pablo Hispan (Spain).
Ahead of election day, OSCE PA observers will participate in a comprehensive briefing programme in Budapest, including meetings with representatives of the election administration, political parties and candidates, civil society, media, and international experts. Observers will then deploy across Hungary to assess the conduct of the elections in line with OSCE commitments and international democratic standards.
“This mission reflects the OSCE’s continued commitment to supporting democratic processes and assessing elections in line with agreed principles,” said Khandanyan. “We will carefully evaluate all aspects of the process, including the campaign environment and election day procedures, to determine whether they are conducted transparently and in a way that supports public confidence.”
“Our delegation brings together parliamentarians from across the OSCE area, offering a broad range of political experience and perspectives,” said Huq. “Following thorough briefings, we will deploy across Hungary to observe the process on the ground and contribute to a comprehensive and credible joint assessment with our international partners from ODIHR and PACE.”
This mission marks the fourth time that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has observed elections in Hungary. All parliamentarians and staff participating in the mission sign a Code of Conduct requiring discretion and professionalism and confirms that they do not have any conflicts of interest that may interfere with their work as impartial observers.
The preliminary findings and conclusions of the international election observation mission will be presented at a joint press conference in Hungary on 13 April 2026.
For information about previous OSCE PA election observation missions to Hungary, please click here.
