16/04/2025 Election observation
At the 20th European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 15–16 April, a delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) emphasised the need for closer co-operation between parliaments and electoral management bodies to secure stability of electoral law and build public trust in electoral processes.
In his online statement, Lord Blencathra, Chair of the Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections, stressed the importance of stability in electoral law, "a crucial issue in these unstable times". However, "too often, in too many countries, PACE has observed that frequent and last-minute changes before elections can lead to confusion or undermine confidence in the electoral process."
"Parliamentarians, EMBs and experts from the Venice Commission should continue to work together to promote electoral stability and reflect on the need, possibilities and consequences of electoral changes on the very basis of a functioning democracy," he said.
"The newly-established Alliance is another tool for PACE election observers to address pressing societal issues that require adaptation of electoral frameworks to the changing political, social and technological landscape, while avoiding potential manipulation of electoral rules for short-term political gain", he added.
Damien Cottier, PACE Rapporteur on "Elections in Times of Crisis", noted that “legislators are expected to make democratic institutions – including electoral administrations – more resilient and robust to anticipate and adapt to unforeseen events and crises, be they pandemics, natural disasters, cyber-attacks or wars, and deal with threats to the integrity of elections."
He added: "In a recent resolution, the Parliamentary Assembly has just called on our member states to put in place legal frameworks to prevent foreign interference in electoral systems – a threat to democratic security in Europe. Changes of the electoral framework, sometimes motivated by tactical political calculations, requires however careful and timely preparation, including clear procedures and training of election officials, and proper implementation. Electoral administrations play a key role and often bear the responsibility for informing voters and ensuring not only the reliability of electoral systems but also their transparency.”
"Better synergy between parliaments and electoral administrations is therefore key to raising awareness of electoral stability - but also of the risks of unstable electoral systems. The Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections provides a forum for the exchange of good electoral practices in our member states. PACE's electoral cooperation programmes aim to build the capacity of electoral administrations in several Council of Europe member states to prepare them for these challenges”, Damien Cottier concluded.
The conference was co-organised by the Council for Democratic Elections - a tripartite body of the Council of Europe comprising members of the Venice Commission, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe - in co-operation with the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Lithuania. It brought together over 100 participants from 35 countries.
