News and press releases

BISHKEK, 29 November 2021 – Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary elections were competitive, but they lacked meaningful voter engagement due to a stifled campaign, constitutional changes weakening parliament and extensive legislative changes to key aspects of the election. Generally adequate election legislation was undermined by limitations on civil and political rights as well as diminished separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. Voters had a wide range of political options to choose from. Election preparations were handled efficiently by the election administration, and election day was peaceful, international observers said in a statement today.

As many as 89.9% of Montenegrin citizens believe that the functioning of the State Election Commission (SEC) affects the democracy of electoral processes and the trust that citizens have in the elections in Montenegro. This is one of key findings from a Survey on Public Perceptions and Confidence in Election Management Bodies in Montenegro, commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and conducted by the Damar agency. In this regard, the Mission considers the appointment of a new SEC Chair as a matter of urgency.

An OSCE-supported seminar for international observers aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge of the rights and obligations of election observers took place in Nur-Sultan on 18 November 2021. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the event in co-operation with the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CEC) and supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Following the conclusions of the 25 April 2021 parliamentary elections and the recent discussions on a new electoral reform, Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania hosted a meeting with the Ambassadors of OSCE participating States and international organizations in Albania on 10 November 2021 to exchange information and co-ordinate assistance on electoral matters.

SKOPJE, 1 November 2021 – The second round of North Macedonia’s local elections was competitive and the election administration took efforts to address some procedural shortcomings from the first round. However, negative rhetoric and allegations of pressure on voters and candidates continued to affect the elections, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

TBILISI, 31 October 2021 – The second round of Georgia’s local elections was generally competitive and organized professionally, but increasing polarization and negative rhetoric, as well as allegations of voter intimidation and the continuing advantage of incumbency, demonstrate the need for further reforms, international observers said in a statement today.

Ahead of the municipal elections in Cetinje and Petnjica on 5 December 2021, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Association of Youth with Disabilities and the Union of Blind of Montenegro delivered an online training course on 28 October for representatives of the local Municipal Electoral Commissions (MECs) on how to improve accessibilty of polling stations and voting materials.