Elections Division

GalLERY

Armenia’s elections must not be endangered by foreign interference and a level playing field for all contestants is essential, says PACE pre-electoral delegation in Yerevan

Hungary’s parliamentary elections: vibrant, but no equal opportunities for contestants, international observers say

Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections offered voters a genuine choice, but were marked by high levels of polarisation and negative rhetoric, international observers say

PACE observers welcome smooth early elections in Kosovo* and urge all stakeholders to help restore functional institutions

Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary elections efficiently run but a restrictive campaign environment stifled public engagement, international observers say

Observation of the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on 9 June 2024

Press briefing held in Sofia on 28 October 2024 for PACE's observation of Bulgaria's 27 October parliamentary elections.

PACE election observers launch a Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections

PACE pre-electoral delegation in Sarajevo, September 2022 - election observation

Meeting of the pre-electoral delegation in Tirana

Did you know?

PACE observed its first election in 1974 in the context of the return of Greece to the Council of Europe, thus laying the foundations for institutionalised parliamentary election observation in Europe.

The Council of Europe was the first European institution, following the collapse of the Berlin wall, to link membership to respect for the principle of free and fair elections.

A willingness to organise fair elections, given fresh impetus by Council of Europe leaders at the 2023 Reykjavik Summit, has today become no less than a condition of membership for member states.

PACE’s work to encourage free and fair elections

These snapshots on the ground feed into a system of wider Assembly support for building better electoral and democratic practice in member states:

The Elections Division supports cross-party delegations of Assembly members – often accompanied by legal experts from the Venice Commission – to observe elections in certain member states, assess them against international standards, and recommend improvements to electoral law and practice. Its reports are debated by the Assembly.

The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy looks at elections as part of the wider democratic landscape, focusing on their relationship with the state of democracy, democratic stability, and the functioning of democratic institutions. Specific electoral issues, such as diaspora voting, ensuring a free media during campaigning, the impact of social media, gender equality or party financing, are also addressed by the committees of the Assembly within their respective mandates.

The Monitoring Committee makes use of the election observation reports when it assesses how far states subject to monitoring or post-monitoring dialogue are fulfilling their democratic obligations and commitments.

The Electoral Cooperation (Parliamentary and Electoral Cooperation Division) provides technical assistance on electoral matters to national parliaments, electoral management bodies, and other electoral stakeholders in the Member States. This support is primarily delivered through comprehensive electoral cooperation projects, which are currently underway in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

The Council for Democratic Elections

The Assembly is part of the Council for Democratic Elections (CDE) which unites in a unique, tripartite body of the Council of Europe the legal experience of the Venice Commission and the political experience of the Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

The CDE examines all opinions and documents of a general nature (codes of good practice, guidelines, etc.) in the field of elections and political parties before they are submitted for adoption to the Venice Commission.

In doing so, the Council for Democratic Elections promotes common European values and the principles of European electoral heritage.

In 2026, PACE is represented in the CED by:

Pablo HISPÁN (Spain, EPP/CD), Vice-Chair of the CED, and Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA-STOJCHEVSKA (North Macedonia, SOC), substitute, for the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Rian VOGELS (Netherlands, ALDE), member, and Lord David BLENCATHRA (United Kingdom, ECPA), substitute, for the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
Laura CASTEL (Spain, UEL), member, and Liliana TANGUY (France, ALDE), substitute, for the Monitoring Committee

COMING SOON

Meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections (Venice, 11 June 2026)

Presentation of the report on the Observation of the parliamentary elections in Hungary (12 April 2026) and the report on the Observation of the early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria (19 April 2026) to the Parliamentary Assembly (Strasbourg, 22 June 2026)

Meeting of the Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (Strasbourg, June 2026)

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* All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo