Election observation - whether at national, local or regional level - helps to safeguard the integrity of elections. However, it is increasingly facing obstacles in many countries. Organised in Paris by the Congress, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, a joint debate on "the role of observers in ensuring trusted and inclusive electoral processes" gave observer networks and European elected representatives the opportunity to review their missions and the difficulties they face. Above all, it allowed them to explore ways of addressing current challenges, not only to improve observation missions but to make them easier to carry out.
Legal frameworks are often unclear, and observers face obstacles in carrying out their work. Their selection may also be arbitrary, and pressure can be exerted by so-called "fake" observers - these very different challenges are numerous. Interference and manipulation are also frequent concerns, particularly in relation to overseas voting and, more recently, artificial intelligence. "Our mission is much more difficult than in the past," note NGOs and elected officials, at both national and local level, who take part in observation missions. Since its foundation, the Congress has carried out 135 observation missions at local and regional levels, as Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom; ILDG) recalled. He himself has taken part in 27 elections, underlining the Congress' strong experience in this field. As the President of the Congress, Gunn Marit Helgesen, pointed out, every election, whatever its level, reflects the state of democracy in the country that organises it: "A credible election strengthens citizens' trust in democracy, but when it shows shortcomings, their consequences go far beyond the election itself."
Towards Trusted and Inclusive Electoral Processes: The Role of Observers
