News and press releases

SKOPJE, 30 October 2017 – The second round of mayoral elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were competitive and respect for fundamental freedoms contributed towards conduct of democratic elections, the observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a preliminary statement released today...

Mongolia’s presidential election was competitive and well-organized, but further efforts are required to address ambiguities and omissions related to key elements of the electoral process, including a potential run-off, concludes the final report  by election observers from the OSCE Office for

TBILISI, 22 October 2017 – Fundamental freedoms were generally respected in the 21 October local elections in Georgia, and candidates were able to campaign freely. Efficient administration of the elections and accurate voter registration contributed to the quality of the process, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The entire context of the elections was shaped by the dominance of the ruling party, the observers said.

SKOPJE, 16 October 2017 – The holding of the 15 October municipal elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia contributed to strengthening confidence in the democratic process, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The elections took place in a competitive environment, with candidates generally able to campaign without restriction, and the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression were respected overall. Some credible allegations of vote-buying, pressure on voters and isolated cases of violence occurred during the pre-election period. The monitored media provided unbiased coverage of contestants and facilitated the opportunity for political debate. Although some procedural irregularities were observed, election day generally proceeded in an orderly fashion, the observers said.

BISHKEK, 16 October 2017 – The 15 October presidential election in Kyrgyzstan contributed to the strengthening of democratic institutions by providing for an orderly transfer of power from one elected president to another, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The election was competitive, as voters had a broad choice and candidates could generally campaign freely, although cases of the misuse of public resources, pressure on voters and vote buying remain a concern, the observers said.

Malta’s early parliamentary elections on 3 June 2017 were held in a professional and efficient manner, with electoral stakeholders expressing confidence in most stages of the process, but aspects of the legal framework could benefit from further review, concludes the final report issued by the OSCE

A team of experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was in Montenegro from 4 to 6 October 2017 for the first consultation and planning visit within the framework of the ODIHR project “Support to Elections in the Western Balkans”. The ODIHR team met